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Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie is an charming little “playful character”. Orion – nicknamed “Onion” – is a big but very loyal companion. Another whale, Zephyr has “endless energy” and moves like a worm. Lillooet the beluga is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a heart of gold.

A group of thirty captive marine mammals in a Canada-based entertainment facility have been caught in a struggle between a shuttered park, government authorities and advocacy groups.

But those most familiar with the whales say the intense debate over their fate often ignores the individual traits of the whales who, after growing up in enclosed habitats, have been carefully observed by the caretakers who work with them regularly.

After the national authorities blocked the sale of the belugas to China, the struggling facility near Niagara Falls where they are housed warned to put them down unless the federal government covers the expense of their care. Canada’s fisheries minister has rejected that request, placing the thirty whales in an dangerously unstable circumstance.

Highly Cognitive Sea Creatures

Experts say that belugas’ brain structure, along with their sound replication, intellectual tasks and communal behavior indicate they are highly cognitive creatures – something Kristy Burgess learned first-hand.

She spent several years as a marine mammal specialist, a role that required building relationships of the aquatic animals.

“Developing those connections over time takes a lot of consistency and a lot of affection. At the outset, they’re very wary of you,” she said. “In time, you gain reciprocal understanding. And they start being more trusting with you. It’s just so extraordinary and fulfilling.”

The trainer knew the whales were exceptionally cognitive, but she says she was nonetheless astounded by the nuances and quirks in their dispositions. She cultivated a particular love for two female belugas with contrasting natures.

“One whale accepted me. Cleo required effort,” she said. “Each altered the way I view connection.”

Growing Opposition and Facility Decline

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

During her time at the facility, multiple belugas and the park’s one orca, Kiska, died. In total, nineteen belugas have died at the park since 2019, a number which the park links to natural mortality, but which campaigners say reflects the inadequate care in which they were housed.

The facility did not admit visitors to the visitors over the recent season, but the former trainer says she observed directly effects of the shutdown. “Concrete is deteriorating from the tanks because they’re in disrepair and not being maintained. The whales are inquisitive and so they pick it up and move about with fragments in their mouth. It’s distressing to see.”

The park did not reply to a questionnaire, but in the past asserted: “The whales … receive far better veterinary services and constant supervision than any person in the Britain, or elsewhere.”

Fate in Limbo and Proposed Solutions

The former employee was fired from the facility in the spring following the death of Eos, an sick beluga the caretakers had to euthanize. She said the facility thought details of the incident were shared to the news outlets and she was released shortly thereafter.

The ambiguity over the whales’ outcome has left her and staff members in despair. She says the facility’s threat to kill its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “extremely difficult” undertaking, adding any efforts to put down even a single beluga would require “significant personnel”, equipment and specialized tools.

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

She advocates for requests for the whales to be removed right away from the park, with its crumbling tanks and reduced personnel.

In recent months, Canada’s government official denied a bid to export the whales to an overseas location.

“Granting the request would have meant a continued situation in captivity and a return to display for amusement,” the official commented. “As the public, we know that marine mammals should be in the wild, not in tanks for our amusement. I could not in clear conscience approve an relocation that would prolong the situation these belugas have experienced.”

But the former trainer said the official’s comments reveal a broader misunderstanding of the realities of living conditions for belugas born in captivity.

“The public needs to grasp these are whales that have lived entirely in captivity and they will need human care for the rest of their years,” she said. “Many just don’t realize that it’s not as simple as saying ‘end operations’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Continuing Discussion

As officials work to find a resolution, suggestions have been put forward, some of which have minimal feasibility. One proposal called for the belugas to be freed into the natural habitat of northern regions – where whales are a key source of sustenance for Inuit communities.

A planned sanctuary in the region of Nova Scotia, which has received government approval, has shown to be most controversial. The planned facility, which includes extensive space of enclosed sea water, doesn’t yet exist. Supporters remain positive that it could eventually represent a sustainable solution for a number of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among staff she’s spoken with, there is “no trust there” about what she said is “simply an trial” in the whales’ future.

Others say the prospect of a sanctuary indicates a worldwide trend away from animal displays and could represent a feasible approach in the near future.

Charles Vinick, head of the initiative, said the facility will simulate the mental engagement and diet the whales receive from caretakers, albeit in a much larger environment. He said after the well-being of whales is fully assessed, which could take months|an extended period|