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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie Botts is an charming little “sweetheart”. The whale Orion – nicknamed “Onion” – is a sizeable but very loyal companion. Zephyr has “constant motion” and wiggles like a worm. Lillooet is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a gentle spirit.

Thirty enclosed beluga whales in a Canadian amusement park have been caught in a struggle between a closed attraction, public officials and animal rights activists.

But those closest to the whales say the impassioned debate over their destiny often ignores the individual traits of the whales who, after living their entire lives in enclosed habitats, have been closely studied by the people who work with them regularly.

After the federal government blocked the transfer of the belugas to a foreign facility, the embattled facility near Niagara Falls where they are housed stated it would consider to put them down unless the authorities funds the expense of their survival. The nation’s fisheries minister has denied that ultimatum, placing the 30 whales in an ever more uncertain situation.

Highly Cognitive Marine Mammals

Experts say that beluga whales’ brain structure, along with their sound replication, intellectual tasks and group interactions indicate they are highly cognitive creatures – something Kristy Burgess discovered directly.

She spent a significant period as a beluga trainer, a position that entailed earning the trust of the sea creatures.

“Establishing those relationships over time takes a lot of regularity and a lot of care. At the start, they’re very wary of you,” she said. “Eventually, you gain shared confidence. And they start being more vulnerable with you. It’s just so extraordinary and rewarding.”

Burgess knew the whales were exceptionally cognitive, but she says she was even so surprised by the nuances and idiosyncrasies in their characters. She developed a particular love for two female belugas with contrasting personalities.

“One whale chose me. The other demanded work,” she said. “They transformed the way I perceive connection.”

Public Concerns and Facility Decline

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

During her time at the park, multiple belugas and the park’s single killer whale, Kiska, passed away. In total, nineteen belugas have died at the park since 2019, a statistic which the facility links to expected lifespan, but which campaigners say points to the substandard environment in which they were housed.

The park did not open to the visitors over the summer, but the former trainer says she saw with her own eyes consequences of the shutdown. “Structural materials is breaking off from the pools because they’re falling apart and not being maintained. The whales are curious and so they grab fragments and navigate with fragments in their jaws. It’s upsetting to see.”

The park did not comment to a questionnaire, but previously stated: “The whales … receive far better health care and around the clock attention than any person in the UK, or elsewhere.”

Fate in Limbo and Proposed Solutions

Burgess was terminated from the park in the spring following the passing of Eos, an unwell beluga the park staff had to put down. She said the facility thought particulars of the incident were disclosed to the press and she was fired soon after.

The uncertainty over the whales’ future has left her and other caretakers in despair. She says the park’s threat to end the lives of its whales is a leverage tool and is a “extremely difficult” undertaking, adding any attempts to humanely kill even a single beluga would require “immense personnel”, equipment and machinery.

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

Burgess advocates for requests for the whales to be taken promptly from the park, with its failing enclosures and shrinking team.

In the autumn, the nation’s government official denied a bid to export the whales to China.

“Granting the application would have meant a continued existence in enclosure and a return to performance for audiences,” the minister stated. “As the public, we know that belugas belong in the wild, not in pools for our enjoyment. I could not in ethical standing approve an export that would perpetuate the situation these belugas have endured.”

But Burgess said the official’s remarks reveal a more general incorrect perception of the circumstances of existence for belugas raised in confinement.

“The society needs to grasp 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 realize that it’s not as simple as saying ‘end operations’.”

Alternative Habitat and Continuing Discussion

As officials struggle to find a answer, suggestions have surfaced, some of which have little basis in reality. An idea called for the belugas to be freed into the natural habitat of northern regions – where whales are a important part of sustenance for Inuit communities.

A planned refuge in the province of eastern Canada, which has received regulatory clearance, has proven contentious. The planned facility, which includes a large area of protected cove, is not yet built. Proponents remain hopeful that it could eventually represent a permanent answer for eight of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among staff she’s consulted, there is “no trust there” about what she said is “simply an experiment” in the whales’ future.

Others say the idea of a protected habitat represents a broader global shift away from zoos and aquariums and could represent a workable approach in the near future.

An official, leader of the initiative, said the site will simulate the intellectual stimulation and diet the whales receive from caretakers, albeit in a significantly bigger area. He said after the well-being of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|