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Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie Botts is an charming small “ham sandwich”. The whale Orion – nicknamed “Onion Ring” – is a big but guardian-like friend. Zephyr has “constant motion” and wiggles like a wiggly creature. Lillooet the beluga is the “loving presence” with a kind nature.

Thirty enclosed marine mammals in a Canadian entertainment facility have been caught in a tussle between a defunct facility, public officials and welfare campaigners.

But those working directly with the whales say the heated debate over their future often overlooks the individual traits of the whales who, after spending their lives in captivity, have been thoroughly researched by the caretakers who interact with them daily.

After the federal government prevented the export of the belugas to a foreign facility, the controversial facility near Niagara Falls where they are held stated it would consider to end their lives unless the federal government pays for the upkeep of their survival. Canada’s fisheries minister has denied that ultimatum, placing the thirty whales in an ever more uncertain situation.

Highly Cognitive Marine Mammals

Scientists say that belugas’ neuroanatomy, along with their vocal imitation skills, problem solving and social skills indicate they are remarkably smart creatures – something Kristy Burgess observed directly.

She spent a significant period as a beluga trainer, a job that required building relationships of the marine predators.

“Building up those relationships over time takes a lot of regularity and a lot of care. At the beginning, they’re very cautious of you,” she said. “Eventually, you gain mutual trust. And they start being more vulnerable with you. It’s just so magical and gratifying.”

Burgess knew the whales were very smart, but she says she was nonetheless astounded by the subtleties and unique traits in their personalities. She cultivated a particular love for a pair of whales with opposing temperaments.

“One whale chose me. Cleo demanded work,” she said. “Both altered the way I understand bonding.”

Public Concerns and Facility Decline

Burgess’s interaction with the whales evolved against a context of rising activist criticism to their enclosure.

During her three years at the facility, multiple belugas and the park’s one orca, Kiska, passed away. In all, nineteen belugas have perished at the park since 2019, a statistic which the park attributes to expected lifespan, but which advocates say reflects the inadequate care in which they were maintained.

The facility did not open to the public over the recent season, but the former trainer says she observed directly results of the closure. “Concrete is deteriorating from the tanks because they’re in disrepair and not being maintained. The whales are curious and so they pick it up and navigate with chunks in their jaws. It’s upsetting to see.”

The park did not reply to a request for comment, but in the past asserted: “The whales … get far superior veterinary services and 24/7 care than any human in the United Kingdom, or other places.”

Uncertain Future and Proposed Solutions

The former employee was fired from the facility in the spring following the passing of a beluga, an sick beluga the caretakers had to put down. She said the facility thought particulars of the incident were disclosed to the media and she was fired soon after.

The uncertainty over the whales’ future has left her and other caretakers in anguish. She says the park’s ultimatum to euthanize its whales is a bargaining chip and is a “logistically impossible” endeavor, adding any plans to put down even a one beluga would require “considerable manpower”, vehicles and heavy equipment.

“It’s impossible in hell the caretakers would ever do it,” she said.

She backs requests for the whales to be taken promptly from the park, with its failing enclosures and reduced personnel.

In late September, Canada’s government official turned down a request to export the whales to an overseas location.

“Granting the proposal would have meant a perpetual existence in confinement and a reversion to performance for audiences,” the official commented. “As society, we know that whales belong in the wild, not in tanks for our entertainment. I could not in ethical standing authorize an transfer that would prolong the treatment these belugas have experienced.”

But Burgess said the minister’s statements reflect a more general misunderstanding of the realities of living conditions for belugas raised in confinement.

“The society needs to understand these are whales that have existed solely in confinement and they will need ongoing assistance for the remainder of their lives,” she said. “Many just don’t understand that it’s not as simple as saying ‘end operations’.”

Alternative Habitat and Ongoing Debate

As officials attempt to find a resolution, suggestions have been put forward, some of which have little basis in reality. An idea called for the belugas to be freed into the open waters of the Arctic – where whales are a primary resource of sustenance for Inuit communities.

A proposed protected area in the region of eastern Canada, which recently received regulatory clearance, has shown to be most controversial. The planned site, which includes extensive space of penned in ocean, is not yet built. Supporters remain hopeful that it could ultimately represent a sustainable resolution for eight of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among trainers she’s consulted, there is “no trust there” about what she said is “merely an trial” in the whales’ well-being.

Some experts say the idea of a protected habitat reflects a worldwide trend away from animal displays and could represent a viable plan in the short term.

An official, director of the sanctuary project, said the site will replicate the mental engagement and nutrition the whales get from trainers, albeit in a much larger space. He said after the well-being of whales is fully assessed, which could take months|an extended period|