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Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie is an adorable little “sweetheart”. Orion – nicknamed “Onion Ring” – is a sizeable but guardian-like companion. Another whale, Zephyr has “constant motion” and moves like a wiggly creature. Lillooet the beluga is the “most affectionate” with a gentle spirit.

A group of thirty enclosed beluga whales in a Canadian amusement park have been entangled in a struggle between a shuttered park, local and national governments and advocacy groups.

But those working directly with the whales say the impassioned discussion over their future often ignores the individual traits of the whales who, after growing up in captivity, have been carefully observed by the people who interact with them daily.

After the Canadian government prevented the export of the belugas to China, the controversial attraction near Niagara Falls where they are held threatened to euthanize them unless the government pays for the cost of their survival. Canada’s marine resources official has rejected that request, placing the thirty whales in an ever more uncertain situation.

Intelligent Marine Mammals

Experts say that belugas’ neural makeup, along with their vocal imitation skills, intellectual tasks and group interactions indicate they are deeply intelligent mammals – something one caretaker observed personally.

She spent three years as a beluga trainer, a job that required building relationships of the aquatic animals.

“Building up those relationships over time takes a lot of consistency and a lot of affection. At the beginning, they’re very cautious of you,” she said. “Over time, you gain shared confidence. And they start being more open with you. It’s just so extraordinary and rewarding.”

Burgess knew the whales were very smart, but she says she was nevertheless surprised by the subtleties and quirks in their characters. She formed a special affection for two female belugas with contrasting personalities.

“One whale accepted me. Cleo demanded work,” she said. “Each changed the way I view connection.”

Growing Opposition and Facility Decline

Her interaction with the whales progressed against a background of growing public opposition to their captivity.

During her tenure at the park, seven belugas and the park’s one killer whale, the orca, succumbed. In total, 19 belugas have perished at the park since recent years, a number which the park ascribes to natural mortality, but which campaigners say indicates the poor conditions in which they were housed.

The park did not open to the visitors over the summer, but Burgess says she saw with her own eyes effects of the shutdown. “Structural materials is deteriorating from the tanks because they’re degrading and not being repaired. The whales are curious and so they pick it up and move about with fragments in their mouth. It’s heartbreaking to see.”

The park did not respond to a inquiry, but previously asserted: “The whales … get far better veterinary services and constant attention than any person in the UK, or other places.”

Uncertain Future and Proposed Solutions

Burgess was dismissed from the facility in the spring following the death of Eos, an sick beluga the employees had to euthanize. She said the park believed particulars of the death were leaked to the press and she was let go soon after.

The uncertainty over the whales’ future has left Burgess and other caretakers in anguish. She says the facility’s warning to euthanize its whales is a leverage tool and is a “logistically impossible” task, adding any plans to put down even a individual beluga would require “considerable personnel”, equipment and heavy equipment.

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

She advocates for calls for the whales to be taken right away from the park, with its deteriorating pools and reduced personnel.

In late September, the nation’s government official denied a bid to send the whales to China.

“Granting the application would have meant a ongoing existence in captivity and a return to performance for audiences,” the official stated. “As society, we know that whales are meant for the wild, not in enclosures for our entertainment. I could not in clear conscience authorize an relocation that would perpetuate the situation these belugas have experienced.”

But Burgess said the minister’s statements reveal a more general incorrect perception of the facts of existence for belugas born in captivity.

“The society needs to understand these are whales that have existed solely in captivity and they will need human care for the rest of their years,” she said. “The public just don’t realize that it’s not as easy as saying ‘shut it down’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Ongoing Debate

As officials struggle to find a solution, ideas have emerged, some of which have little basis in reality. One proposal called for the belugas to be let go into the natural habitat of the Arctic – where whales are a important part of sustenance for Indigenous peoples.

A planned sanctuary in the region of eastern Canada, which recently received official endorsement, has been highly debated. The planned site, which includes extensive space of protected cove, remains undeveloped. Proponents remain positive that it could eventually represent a long term resolution for a number of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among staff she’s consulted, there is “doubts there” about what she said is “simply an trial” in the whales’ future.

Some experts say the possibility of a refuge reflects a broader global shift away from captive facilities and could represent a viable approach in the coming months.

The project lead, leader of the initiative, said the site will mimic the mental engagement and diet the whales get from trainers, albeit in a much larger area. He said after the medical condition of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|