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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie is an adorable little “sweetheart”. The whale Orion – called “Onion Ring” – is a large but very loyal friend. Zephyr has “constant motion” and sways like a wiggly creature. Lillooet the beluga is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a kind nature.

A group of thirty enclosed marine mammals in a Canadian amusement park have become pawns in a disagreement between a defunct facility, local and national governments and animal rights activists.

But those most familiar with the whales say the heated debate over their destiny often overlooks the nuances of the whales who, after spending their lives in enclosed habitats, have been thoroughly researched by the caretakers who interact with them daily.

After the Canadian government disallowed the export of the belugas to a foreign facility, the struggling amusement park near the famous falls where they are housed threatened to put them down unless the authorities covers the expense of keeping them alive. The nation’s fisheries minister has refused that request, placing the thirty whales in an ever more uncertain position.

Intelligent Marine Mammals

Researchers say that beluga whales’ neuroanatomy, along with their vocal imitation skills, problem solving and social skills indicate they are highly cognitive animals – something Kristy Burgess discovered personally.

Burgess spent several years as a marine mammal specialist, a job that involved earning the trust of the aquatic animals.

“Establishing those bonds over time takes a lot of dedication and a lot of affection. At the outset, they’re very wary of you,” she said. “In time, you gain shared confidence. And they start being more vulnerable with you. It’s just so extraordinary and rewarding.”

The trainer knew the whales were highly intelligent, but she says she was nevertheless amazed by the details and unique traits in their characters. She developed a particular love for Eve and Cleopatra with contrasting personalities.

“One whale selected me. Cleo demanded work,” she said. “Both transformed the way I view bonding.”

Growing Opposition and Facility Decline

Burgess’s relationship with the whales developed against a background of rising activist criticism to their confinement.

During her time at the facility, multiple belugas and the park’s single killer whale, the orca, died. In all, 19 belugas have died at the park since 2019, a statistic which the facility attributes to natural mortality, but which activists say reflects the inadequate care in which they were maintained.

The facility did not open to the visitors over the summer, but Burgess says she observed directly results of the cessation. “Concrete is breaking off from the pools because they’re falling apart and not being maintained. The whales are inquisitive and so they grab fragments and swim around with pieces in their mouth. It’s distressing to see.”

The park did not respond to a inquiry, but previously claimed: “The whales … receive far higher quality health care and around the clock care than any person in the UK, or anywhere else.”

Fate in Limbo and Potential Resolutions

The former employee was dismissed from the park in early March following the demise of Eos, an unwell beluga the park staff had to put down. She said the facility suspected particulars of the incident were shared to the media and she was released not long after.

The ambiguity over the whales’ fate has left her and staff members in anguish. She says the park’s ultimatum to end the lives of its whales is a bargaining chip and is a “practically unfeasible” endeavor, adding any plans to put down even a one beluga would require “considerable personnel”, trucks and specialized tools.

“It’s impossible in hell the employees would ever do it,” she said.

Burgess advocates for requests for the whales to be removed promptly from the facility, with its failing enclosures and shrinking team.

In late September, Canada’s government official turned down a proposal to send the whales to an overseas location.

“To approve the application would have meant a continued existence in confinement and a reversion to public entertainment,” the official stated. “As the public, we know that belugas are meant for the ocean, not in pools for our entertainment. I could not in clear conscience permit an transfer that would prolong the situation these belugas have suffered.”

But the former trainer said the official’s comments reflect a wider misunderstanding of the realities of existence for belugas raised in confinement.

“The society needs to grasp these are whales that have lived entirely in captivity and they will need human care for the remainder of their lives,” she said. “The public just don’t understand that it’s not as straightforward as saying ‘end operations’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Ongoing Debate

As authorities struggle to find a answer, ideas have emerged, some of which have questionable practicality. One proposal called for the belugas to be let go into the open waters of the Arctic – where whales are a important part of food for local populations.

A proposed protected area in the province of Nova Scotia, which now received regulatory clearance, has proven highly debated. The future site, which includes a large area of penned in ocean, doesn’t yet exist. Proponents remain hopeful that it could ultimately represent a permanent resolution for eight of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among caretakers she’s spoken with, there is “no trust there” about what she said is “merely an trial” in the whales’ future.

Some experts say the prospect of a refuge represents a broader global shift away from zoos and aquariums and could represent a viable plan in the coming months.

Charles Vinick, director of the initiative, said the site will simulate the cognitive activities and feeding regimen the whales receive from specialists, albeit in a significantly bigger space. He said after the medical condition of whales is fully assessed, which could take months|an extended period|