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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie is an cute small “ham sandwich”. Orion – nicknamed “Onion” – is a sizeable but fiercely protective companion. Another whale, Zephyr has “constant motion” and sways like a wiggly creature. Lillooet is the “most affectionate” with a heart of gold.

Thirty captive beluga whales in a Canada-based amusement park have been entangled in a disagreement between a closed attraction, public officials and animal rights activists.

But those most familiar with the whales say the impassioned discussion over their fate often fails to consider the nuances of the whales who, after spending their lives in captivity, have been thoroughly researched by the caretakers who interact with them daily.

After the national authorities blocked the export of the belugas to China, the embattled attraction near Niagara Falls where they are kept stated it would consider to euthanize them unless the authorities covers the cost of keeping them alive. The nation’s marine resources official has refused that request, placing the 30 whales in an increasingly precarious circumstance.

Highly Cognitive Marine Mammals

Scientists say that beluga whales’ neural makeup, along with their mimicry abilities, cognitive challenges and social skills point to they are remarkably smart animals – something a former trainer observed personally.

She spent three years as a beluga trainer, a position that involved building relationships of the marine predators.

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

The trainer knew the whales were highly intelligent, but she says she was even so astounded by the subtleties and idiosyncrasies in their dispositions. She cultivated a special affection for a pair of whales with opposing temperaments.

“One whale accepted me. Cleo demanded work,” she said. “They transformed the way I understand relationships.”

Growing Opposition and Facility Decline

Her connection with the whales evolved against a background of growing public opposition to their enclosure.

During her tenure at the facility, seven belugas and the park’s one orca, Kiska, died. In total, 19 belugas have died at the park since 2019, a toll which the park attributes to expected lifespan, but which activists say reflects the substandard environment in which they were kept.

The park did not operate to the visitors over the summer, but Burgess says she observed directly results of the cessation. “Structural materials is breaking off from the pools because they’re degrading and not being fixed. The whales are inquisitive and so they take pieces and move about with chunks in their mouth. It’s upsetting to see.”

The park did not respond to a questionnaire, but earlier asserted: “The whales … obtain far better health care and around the clock supervision than any human in the Britain, or anywhere else.”

Fate in Limbo and Proposed Solutions

The former employee was dismissed from the facility in early March following the demise of Eos, an sick beluga the employees had to humanely kill. She said the park suspected information of the incident were leaked to the press and she was fired shortly thereafter.

The ambiguity over the whales’ future has left her and other caretakers in distress. She says the facility’s warning to kill its whales is a leverage tool and is a “logistically impossible” task, adding any plans to humanely kill even a individual beluga would require “considerable staff”, vehicles and heavy equipment.

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

Burgess advocates for calls for the whales to be removed immediately from the facility, with its crumbling tanks and dwindling staff.

In the autumn, the nation’s government official rejected a proposal to transfer the whales to China.

“To approve the request would have meant a perpetual situation in captivity and a reversion to performance for audiences,” the official wrote. “As the public, we know that belugas should be in the ocean, not in enclosures for our enjoyment. I could not in clear conscience approve an transfer that would prolong the conditions these belugas have experienced.”

But Burgess said the official’s remarks reveal a broader incorrect perception of the facts of living conditions for belugas born in captivity.

“The society needs to understand these are whales that have spent their whole lives in enclosed habitats and they will need ongoing assistance for the foreseeable future,” she said. “People just don’t comprehend that it’s not as easy as saying ‘close it down’.”

Alternative Habitat and Continuing Discussion

As decision makers struggle to find a resolution, proposals have surfaced, some of which have little basis in reality. An idea called for the belugas to be let go into the natural habitat of northern regions – where whales are a primary resource of food for Indigenous peoples.

A suggested sanctuary in the region of Nova Scotia, which has received regulatory clearance, has proven contentious. The planned location, which includes a large area of enclosed sea water, doesn’t yet exist. Advocates remain positive that it could eventually represent a sustainable resolution for some of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among trainers she’s spoken with, there is “skepticism there” about what she said is “only an untested concept” in the whales’ future.

Different voices say the idea of a protected habitat represents a worldwide trend away from zoos and aquariums and could represent a feasible solution in the coming months.

An official, head of the initiative, said the site will simulate the cognitive activities and feeding regimen the whales obtain from trainers, albeit in a significantly bigger environment. He said after the well-being of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|