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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie Botts is an cute little “ham sandwich”. The whale Orion – called “Onion” – is a sizeable but guardian-like friend. Zephyr has “endless energy” and moves like a worm. Lillooet the beluga is the “loving presence” with a kind nature.

Thirty captive marine mammals in a Canada-based entertainment facility have been caught in a struggle between a shuttered park, government authorities and animal rights activists.

But those working directly with the whales say the heated debate over their destiny often fails to consider the complexities of the whales who, after growing up in confinement, have been closely studied by the caretakers who interact with them daily.

After the federal government prevented the transfer of the belugas to a foreign facility, the embattled amusement park near Niagara Falls where they are housed warned to put them down unless the authorities pays for the upkeep of their survival. The nation’s fisheries minister has refused that demand, placing the 30 whales in an increasingly precarious position.

Intelligent Sea Creatures

Researchers say that beluga whales’ neural makeup, along with their vocal imitation skills, problem solving and social skills suggest they are highly cognitive creatures – something Kristy Burgess learned directly.

Burgess spent three years as a whale caretaker, a job that involved earning the trust of the marine predators.

“Establishing those bonds over time takes a lot of consistency and a lot of affection. At the outset, they’re very cautious of you,” she said. “Eventually, you gain shared confidence. And they start being more open with you. It’s just so wonderful and gratifying.”

The trainer knew the whales were very smart, but she says she was nevertheless astounded by the details and idiosyncrasies in their characters. She formed a particular love for a pair of whales with different natures.

“Eve selected me. The other required effort,” she said. “They changed the way I view bonding.”

Growing Opposition and Deteriorating Conditions

Burgess’s interaction with the whales developed against a context of increasing societal concern to their enclosure.

During her time at the park, seven belugas and the park’s one killer whale, Kiska, died. In all, 19 belugas have perished at the park since 2019, a number which the park links to expected lifespan, but which campaigners say indicates the poor conditions in which they were kept.

The park did not operate to the visitors over the recent season, but Burgess says she witnessed firsthand consequences of the closure. “Concrete is falling apart from the enclosures because they’re falling apart and not being fixed. The whales are exploratory and so they take pieces and swim around with chunks in their jaws. It’s heartbreaking to see.”

The park did not comment to a request for comment, but earlier claimed: “The whales … receive far better veterinary services and 24/7 care than any human in the Britain, or elsewhere.”

Fate in Limbo and Proposed Solutions

Burgess was fired from the facility in early March following the death of a beluga, an ailing beluga the park staff had to humanely kill. She said the park thought details of the death were disclosed to the press and she was let go soon after.

The uncertainty over the whales’ fate has left Burgess and other caretakers in anguish. She says the park’s ultimatum to end the lives of its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “extremely difficult” undertaking, adding any attempts to euthanize even a individual beluga would require “immense staff”, trucks and specialized tools.

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

Burgess backs requests for the whales to be removed right away from the park, with its deteriorating pools and dwindling staff.

In late September, the nation’s government official denied a request to transfer the whales to an overseas location.

“Granting the request would have meant a perpetual situation in enclosure and a return to performance for audiences,” the official wrote. “As society, we know that whales are meant for the ocean, not in enclosures for our entertainment. I could not in clear conscience approve an relocation that would perpetuate the conditions these belugas have suffered.”

But Burgess said the minister’s statements indicate a broader misunderstanding of the circumstances of life for belugas living their whole lives in enclosures.

“The society needs to grasp these are whales that have lived entirely in enclosed habitats and they will need ongoing assistance for the foreseeable future,” she said. “People just don’t understand that it’s not as straightforward as saying ‘end operations’.”

Alternative Habitat and Ongoing Debate

As authorities work to find a answer, proposals have surfaced, some of which have minimal feasibility. A suggested plan called for the belugas to be freed into the natural habitat of the Arctic – where whales are a key source of sustenance for Inuit communities.

A proposed protected area in the province of Nova Scotia, which recently received official endorsement, has been most controversial. The prospective location, which includes 100 acres of protected cove, is not yet built. Advocates remain hopeful that it could ultimately represent a sustainable resolution for a number of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among staff she’s consulted, there is “skepticism there” about what she said is “merely an experiment” in the whales’ well-being.

Different voices say the idea of a sanctuary reflects a changing attitudes away from zoos and aquariums and could represent a workable solution in the coming months.

The project lead, leader of the plan, said the location will replicate the intellectual stimulation and feeding regimen the whales get from caretakers, albeit in a more expansive space. He said after the medical condition of whales is completely examined, which could take months|an extended period|