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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie is an adorable small “ham sandwich”. The whale Orion – nicknamed “Onion” – is a large but guardian-like friend. Another whale, Zephyr has “constant motion” and sways like a worm. Lillooet is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a kind nature.

A group of thirty enclosed beluga whales in a Canada-based amusement park have been entangled in a tussle between a closed attraction, public officials and advocacy groups.

But those closest to the whales say the impassioned debate over their fate often overlooks the nuances of the whales who, after growing up in enclosed habitats, have been closely studied by the caretakers who work with them regularly.

After the national authorities blocked the transfer of the belugas to China, the embattled attraction near Niagara Falls where they are housed stated it would consider to euthanize them unless the federal government pays for the upkeep of keeping them alive. The nation’s marine resources official has rejected that request, placing the 30 whales in an increasingly precarious circumstance.

Highly Cognitive Sea Creatures

Scientists say that belugas’ neural makeup, along with their mimicry abilities, problem solving and group interactions indicate they are highly cognitive mammals – something one caretaker discovered directly.

Burgess spent a significant period as a whale caretaker, a position that entailed earning the trust of the sea creatures.

“Building up those bonds over time takes a lot of regularity and a lot of affection. At the start, they’re very unsure of you,” she said. “Over time, you gain shared confidence. And they start being more vulnerable with you. It’s just so magical and gratifying.”

Burgess knew the whales were highly intelligent, but she says she was even so surprised by the details and unique traits in their dispositions. She formed a deep bond for two female belugas with contrasting temperaments.

“One whale selected me. The other made me earn it,” she said. “Each altered the way I understand relationships.”

Growing Opposition and Facility Decline

Her connection with the whales developed against a background of increasing societal concern to their enclosure.

During her three years at the park, multiple belugas and the park’s one orca, the orca, succumbed. In all, nineteen belugas have perished at the park since 2019, a statistic which the facility ascribes to expected lifespan, but which advocates say reflects the substandard environment in which they were housed.

The facility did not admit visitors to the visitors over the recent season, but Burgess says she observed directly consequences of the closure. “Structural materials is falling apart from the tanks because they’re in disrepair and not being repaired. The whales are inquisitive and so they pick it up and move about with fragments in their mouth. It’s distressing to see.”

The facility did not respond to a questionnaire, but in the past claimed: “The whales … get far better health care and constant supervision than any individual in the United Kingdom, or other places.”

Fate in Limbo and Potential Resolutions

Burgess was fired from the park in early March following the demise of Eos, an ailing beluga the employees had to euthanize. She said the facility suspected particulars of the death were leaked to the press and she was released shortly thereafter.

The uncertainty over the whales’ fate has left her and other caretakers in despair. She says the park’s threat to end the lives of its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “logistically impossible” undertaking, adding any plans to humanely kill even a single beluga would require “immense manpower”, equipment and specialized tools.

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

She supports requests for the whales to be removed promptly from the facility, with its deteriorating pools and reduced personnel.

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

“To approve the application would have meant a perpetual existence in captivity and a reversion to public entertainment,” the official commented. “As the public, we know that belugas are meant for the sea, not in enclosures for our entertainment. I could not in ethical standing approve an relocation that would prolong the treatment these belugas have suffered.”

But Burgess said the minister’s remarks reveal a wider incorrect perception of the circumstances of existence for belugas living their whole lives in enclosures.

“The society needs to grasp these are whales that have existed solely in confinement and they will need human care for the remainder of their lives,” she said. “People just don’t comprehend that it’s not as simple as saying ‘close it down’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Continuing Discussion

As officials work to find a solution, ideas have been put forward, some of which have questionable practicality. One proposal called for the belugas to be freed into the natural habitat of Canada’s north – where whales are a important part of food for Indigenous peoples.

A suggested sanctuary in the region of Nova Scotia, which recently received regulatory clearance, has proven highly debated. The future site, which includes extensive space of enclosed sea water, is not yet built. Proponents remain hopeful that it could eventually represent a long term solution for a number of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among staff she’s discussed with, there is “skepticism there” about what she said is “simply an untested concept” in the whales’ well-being.

Some experts say the possibility of a sanctuary indicates a changing attitudes away from zoos and aquariums and could represent a viable plan in the coming months.

Charles Vinick, director of the sanctuary project, said the site will replicate the mental engagement and nutrition the whales obtain from specialists, albeit in a more expansive space. He said after the health of whales is fully assessed, which could take months|an extended period|