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Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie Botts is an adorable little “ham sandwich”. Orion – called “Onion Ring” – is a big but guardian-like companion. Another whale, Zephyr has “ants in his pants” and moves like a worm. Lillooet is the “most affectionate” with a kind nature.

Thirty enclosed beluga whales in a Canada-based entertainment facility have been entangled in a disagreement between a closed attraction, government authorities and welfare campaigners.

But those most familiar with the whales say the impassioned discussion over their destiny often fails to consider the nuances of the whales who, after growing up in enclosed habitats, have been thoroughly researched by the people who see them each day.

After the federal government disallowed the export of the belugas to China, the controversial attraction near the famous falls where they are housed warned to end their lives unless the government covers the expense of their survival. Canada’s marine resources official has rejected that ultimatum, placing the thirty whales in an increasingly precarious circumstance.

Highly Cognitive Marine Mammals

Scientists say that belugas’ neural makeup, along with their sound replication, problem solving and social skills indicate they are highly cognitive mammals – something a former trainer discovered directly.

She spent several years as a beluga trainer, a role that required gaining confidence of the aquatic animals.

“Developing those bonds over time takes a lot of consistency and a lot of care. At the start, they’re very wary of you,” she said. “Over time, you gain shared confidence. And they start being more vulnerable with you. It’s just so wonderful and fulfilling.”

Burgess knew the whales were highly intelligent, but she says she was nonetheless amazed by the subtleties and idiosyncrasies in their dispositions. She developed a particular love for Eve and Cleopatra with opposing natures.

“Eve chose me. Cleo required effort,” she said. “Each altered the way I understand bonding.”

Growing Opposition and Facility Decline

Her interaction with the whales developed against a background of increasing societal concern to their captivity.

During her three years at the park, multiple belugas and the park’s one killer whale, Kiska, passed away. In total, nineteen belugas have perished at the park since 2019, a statistic which the facility ascribes to expected lifespan, but which activists say indicates the inadequate care in which they were housed.

The park did not open to the guests over the summer, but Burgess says she saw with her own eyes results of the shutdown. “Structural materials is falling apart from the tanks because they’re in disrepair and not being fixed. The whales are inquisitive and so they pick it up and navigate with pieces in their jaws. It’s upsetting to see.”

The facility did not reply to a inquiry, but earlier claimed: “The whales … obtain far superior health care and around the clock supervision than any individual in the Britain, or anywhere else.”

Uncertain Future and Proposed Solutions

Burgess was terminated from the facility in recent months following the passing of Eos, an sick beluga the park staff had to humanely kill. She said the facility believed information of the incident were shared to the news outlets and she was let go not long after.

The uncertainty over the whales’ future has left her and current and former trainers in distress. She says the facility’s threat to kill its whales is a bargaining chip and is a “extremely difficult” task, adding any efforts to euthanize even a individual beluga would require “significant manpower”, equipment and machinery.

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

Burgess supports demands for the whales to be taken promptly from the park, with its crumbling tanks and dwindling staff.

In the autumn, Canada’s government official denied a bid to transfer the whales to China.

“Granting the request would have meant a ongoing situation in confinement and a reversion to public entertainment,” the official wrote. “As society, we know that whales are meant for the wild, not in pools for our entertainment. I could not in clear conscience authorize an relocation that would prolong the treatment these belugas have endured.”

But the former trainer said the minister’s statements indicate a wider incorrect perception of the facts of existence for belugas born in captivity.

“The people needs to grasp these are whales that have lived entirely in enclosed habitats and they will need constant supervision for the rest of their years,” she said. “Many just don’t realize that it’s not as simple as saying ‘close it down’.”

Alternative Habitat and Ongoing Debate

As officials struggle to find a resolution, ideas have been put forward, some of which have questionable practicality. A suggested plan called for the belugas to be freed into the wilds of northern regions – where whales are a important part of sustenance for local populations.

A proposed refuge in the region of eastern Canada, which now received regulatory clearance, has proven highly debated. The planned location, which includes 100 acres of protected cove, is not yet built. Supporters remain optimistic that it could ultimately represent a permanent resolution for some of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among staff she’s consulted, there is “skepticism there” about what she said is “only an untested concept” in the whales’ fate.

Others say the prospect of a refuge indicates a worldwide trend away from zoos and aquariums and could represent a workable plan in the coming months.

The project lead, head of the sanctuary project, said the facility will simulate the intellectual stimulation and nutrition the whales receive from trainers, albeit in a much larger area. He said after the health of whales is fully assessed, which could take months|an extended period|