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Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie Botts is an adorable small “ham sandwich”. Orion – called “Onion” – is a sizeable but very loyal friend. Zephyr has “ants in his pants” and wiggles like a worm. Lillooet the beluga is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a kind nature.

Thirty enclosed marine mammals in a Canadian entertainment facility have been caught in a disagreement between a shuttered park, government authorities and advocacy groups.

But those most familiar with the whales say the heated controversy over their destiny often ignores the nuances of the whales who, after growing up in captivity, have been carefully observed by the caretakers who work with them regularly.

After the Canadian government prevented the export of the belugas to China, the struggling attraction near Niagara Falls where they are held warned to euthanize them unless the government funds the cost of keeping them alive. Canada’s marine resources official has rejected that ultimatum, placing the 30 whales in an ever more uncertain situation.

Intelligent Marine Mammals

Researchers say that beluga whales’ brain structure, along with their vocal imitation skills, intellectual tasks and communal behavior indicate they are remarkably smart mammals – something a former trainer observed personally.

She spent a significant period as a whale caretaker, a job that entailed earning the trust of the marine predators.

“Building up those relationships over time takes a lot of regularity and a lot of affection. At the beginning, they’re very unsure of you,” she said. “Eventually, you gain reciprocal understanding. And they start being more vulnerable with you. It’s just so extraordinary and fulfilling.”

The trainer knew the whales were exceptionally cognitive, but she says she was nevertheless surprised by the subtleties and quirks in their personalities. She formed a particular love for two female belugas with contrasting natures.

“One whale selected me. The other demanded work,” she said. “They changed the way I understand connection.”

Growing Opposition and Deteriorating Conditions

Her connection with the whales evolved against a backdrop of increasing societal concern to their confinement.

During her three years at the attraction, seven belugas and the park’s one orca, the orca, passed away. In all, 19 belugas have died at the park since 2019, a number which the park attributes to expected lifespan, but which campaigners say indicates the inadequate care in which they were kept.

The park did not operate to the guests over the summer, but the former trainer says she witnessed firsthand effects of the closure. “Structural materials is falling apart from the pools because they’re in disrepair and not being fixed. The whales are inquisitive and so they grab fragments and navigate with pieces in their jaws. It’s heartbreaking to see.”

The facility did not respond to a inquiry, but earlier claimed: “The whales … get far superior veterinary services and around the clock attention than any person in the Britain, or anywhere else.”

Uncertain Future and Potential Resolutions

Burgess was fired from the facility in recent months following the demise of a beluga, an ailing beluga the park staff had to humanely kill. She said the facility suspected information of the death were disclosed to the news outlets and she was released soon after.

The uncertainty over the whales’ outcome has left her and current and former trainers in distress. She says the facility’s warning to kill its whales is a leverage tool and is a “extremely difficult” task, adding any attempts to euthanize even a individual beluga would require “significant personnel”, vehicles and specialized tools.

“There’s no way in hell the employees would ever do it,” she said.

Burgess advocates for requests for the whales to be removed promptly from the park, with its deteriorating pools and dwindling staff.

In late September, the nation’s fisheries minister rejected a bid to send the whales to China.

“Allowing the application would have meant a continued life in captivity and a return to public entertainment,” the minister wrote. “As the public, we know that whales should be in the wild, not in pools for our enjoyment. I could not in ethical standing permit an relocation that would continue the conditions these belugas have suffered.”

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

“The people needs to understand these are whales that have existed solely in captivity and they will need constant supervision for the foreseeable future,” she said. “The public just don’t comprehend that it’s not as easy as saying ‘close it down’.”

Alternative Habitat and Ongoing Debate

As officials work to find a answer, ideas have emerged, some of which have little basis in reality. One proposal called for the belugas to be freed into the open waters of Canada’s north – where whales are a primary resource of sustenance for Indigenous peoples.

A suggested sanctuary in the province of eastern Canada, which has received official endorsement, has been most controversial. The prospective facility, which includes a large area of enclosed sea water, remains undeveloped. Advocates remain hopeful that it could eventually represent a long term solution for eight of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among caretakers she’s discussed with, there is “no trust there” about what she said is “simply an untested concept” in the whales’ future.

Others say the idea of a sanctuary represents a broader global shift away from captive facilities and could represent a viable plan in the short term.

The project lead, head of the plan, said the site will simulate the intellectual stimulation and nutrition 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|