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Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie Botts is an adorable small “playful character”. The whale Orion – nicknamed “Onion Ring” – is a sizeable but guardian-like friend. Zephyr has “ants in his pants” and sways like a wiggly creature. Lillooet is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a kind nature.

A group of thirty enclosed beluga whales in a Canada-based entertainment facility have been entangled in a tussle between a closed attraction, local and national governments and advocacy groups.

But those closest to the whales say the intense debate over their destiny often overlooks the nuances of the whales who, after growing up in captivity, have been closely studied by the caretakers who see them each day.

After the national authorities prevented the export of the belugas to a foreign facility, the struggling amusement park near the famous falls where they are housed stated it would consider to put them down unless the authorities covers the expense of keeping them alive. The nation’s fisheries minister has refused that ultimatum, placing the thirty whales in an increasingly precarious situation.

Highly Cognitive Sea Creatures

Scientists say that belugas’ brain structure, along with their vocal imitation skills, problem solving and communal behavior suggest they are remarkably smart creatures – something a former trainer discovered directly.

She spent several years as a beluga trainer, a job that entailed building relationships 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 cautious of you,” she said. “In time, you gain shared confidence. And they start being more open with you. It’s just so wonderful and fulfilling.”

Burgess knew the whales were highly intelligent, but she says she was nonetheless surprised by the subtleties and unique traits in their characters. She cultivated a deep bond for a pair of whales with opposing temperaments.

“Eve chose me. The other demanded work,” she said. “They changed the way I understand connection.”

Growing Opposition and Facility Decline

Her connection with the whales developed against a context of increasing societal concern to their confinement.

During her time at the facility, seven belugas and the park’s single killer whale, the orca, died. In total, 19 belugas have died at the park since 2019, a number which the facility ascribes to expected lifespan, but which campaigners say indicates the poor conditions in which they were kept.

The park did not admit visitors to the public over the recent season, but the former trainer says she witnessed firsthand results of the shutdown. “Structural materials is falling apart from the tanks because they’re degrading and not being fixed. The whales are exploratory and so they grab fragments and move about with pieces in their mouth. It’s heartbreaking to see.”

The park did not comment to a request for comment, but earlier claimed: “The whales … get far better medical attention and constant care than any individual in the United Kingdom, or elsewhere.”

Uncertain Future and Proposed Solutions

The former employee was fired from the facility in the spring following the demise of a beluga, an unwell beluga the caretakers had to humanely kill. She said the facility thought information of the death were leaked to the press and she was fired not long after.

The uncertainty over the whales’ future has left her and current and former trainers in anguish. She says the facility’s threat to euthanize its whales is a leverage tool and is a “practically unfeasible” task, adding any attempts to euthanize even a single beluga would require “significant staff”, equipment and machinery.

“It cannot happen in hell the employees would ever do it,” she said.

She supports requests for the whales to be transferred right away from the park, with its failing enclosures and shrinking team.

In late September, Canada’s fisheries minister turned down a request to send the whales to an overseas location.

“To approve the proposal would have meant a ongoing existence in confinement and a return to performance for audiences,” the minister stated. “As society, we know that belugas should be in the sea, not in tanks for our enjoyment. I could not in ethical standing approve an export that would prolong the conditions these belugas have experienced.”

But the former trainer said the minister’s statements indicate a wider misunderstanding of the realities of living conditions for belugas raised in confinement.

“The public needs to understand these are whales that have spent their whole lives in captivity and they will need constant supervision for the rest of their years,” she said. “People just don’t realize that it’s not as straightforward as saying ‘close it down’.”

Alternative Habitat and Continuing Discussion

As authorities struggle to find a answer, suggestions have been put forward, some of which have little basis in reality. A suggested plan called for the belugas to be freed into the open waters of northern regions – where whales are a important part of nourishment for Inuit communities.

A proposed refuge in the province of eastern Canada, which now received regulatory clearance, has shown to be highly debated. The future site, which includes a large area of enclosed sea water, doesn’t yet exist. Proponents remain optimistic that it could ultimately represent a sustainable answer for some of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among staff she’s consulted, there is “doubts there” about what she said is “simply an trial” in the whales’ future.

Others say the possibility of a protected habitat reflects a broader global shift away from animal displays and could represent a viable approach in the near future.

The project lead, leader of the plan, said the location will replicate the cognitive activities and feeding regimen the whales obtain from specialists, albeit in a significantly bigger environment. He said after the medical condition of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|