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Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie Botts is an adorable small “sweetheart”. The whale Orion – nicknamed “Onion” – is a large but very loyal companion. Zephyr has “endless energy” and sways like a worm. Lillooet the beluga is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a gentle spirit.

A group of thirty captive marine mammals in a Canada-based entertainment facility have been caught in a struggle between a defunct facility, government authorities and animal rights activists.

But those most familiar with the whales say the heated controversy over their destiny often ignores the individual traits of the whales who, after spending their lives in enclosed habitats, have been thoroughly researched by the humans who see them each day.

After the national authorities prevented the transfer of the belugas to China, the embattled facility near Niagara Falls where they are kept warned to euthanize them unless the authorities funds the cost of their care. The nation’s fisheries minister has refused that demand, placing the thirty whales in an dangerously unstable situation.

Intelligent Marine Mammals

Researchers say that beluga whales’ neuroanatomy, along with their mimicry abilities, intellectual tasks and group interactions suggest they are deeply intelligent creatures – something Kristy Burgess observed personally.

Burgess spent three years as a beluga trainer, a role that involved earning the trust of the aquatic animals.

“Building up those connections over time takes a lot of dedication and a lot of affection. At the start, they’re very wary of you,” she said. “Eventually, you gain shared confidence. And they start being more trusting with you. It’s just so magical and fulfilling.”

Burgess knew the whales were very smart, but she says she was nevertheless amazed by the details and quirks in their personalities. She developed a particular love for two female belugas with different natures.

“Eve selected me. Cleo required effort,” she said. “Each changed the way I view bonding.”

Public Concerns and Facility Decline

Burgess’s connection with the whales developed against a context of rising activist criticism to their captivity.

During her tenure at the facility, multiple belugas and the park’s single orca, Kiska, passed away. In all, 19 belugas have died at the park since recent years, a statistic which the facility attributes to natural mortality, but which campaigners say points to the substandard environment in which they were maintained.

The facility did not open to the visitors over the summer, but the former trainer says she witnessed firsthand consequences of the closure. “Structural materials is falling apart from the pools because they’re falling apart and not being maintained. The whales are inquisitive and so they grab fragments and swim around with fragments in their mouth. It’s upsetting to see.”

The facility did not respond to a inquiry, but in the past stated: “The whales … get far superior veterinary services and around the clock care than any human in the UK, or elsewhere.”

Fate in Limbo and Proposed Solutions

The former employee was fired from the facility in early March following the passing of a beluga, an ailing beluga the park staff had to euthanize. She said the facility believed particulars of the death were disclosed to the press and she was released shortly thereafter.

The ambiguity over the whales’ outcome has left Burgess and other caretakers in distress. She says the facility’s threat to end the lives of its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “practically unfeasible” endeavor, adding any attempts to euthanize even a single beluga would require “considerable personnel”, trucks and heavy equipment.

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

She advocates for requests for the whales to be removed promptly from the facility, with its failing enclosures and dwindling staff.

In late September, Canada’s fisheries minister turned down a proposal to transfer the whales to China.

“To approve the request would have meant a continued situation in enclosure and a reversion to display for amusement,” the minister commented. “As society, we know that marine mammals are meant for the ocean, not in tanks for our enjoyment. I could not in clear conscience authorize an relocation that would perpetuate the treatment these belugas have experienced.”

But the former trainer said the minister’s remarks reflect a more general lack of awareness of the realities of living conditions for belugas raised in confinement.

“The public needs to realize these are whales that have spent their whole lives in enclosed habitats and they will need human care for the rest of their years,” she said. “Many just don’t comprehend that it’s not as straightforward as saying ‘close it down’.”

Alternative Habitat and Continuing Discussion

As authorities work to find a solution, suggestions have surfaced, some of which have little basis in reality. One proposal called for the belugas to be freed into the natural habitat of the Arctic – where whales are a primary resource of food for Indigenous peoples.

A planned sanctuary in the province of Nova Scotia, which has received official endorsement, has proven highly debated. The prospective site, which includes a large area of penned in ocean, doesn’t yet exist. Advocates remain positive that it could ultimately represent a sustainable resolution for a number of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among staff she’s consulted, there is “skepticism there” about what she said is “simply an experiment” in the whales’ well-being.

Different voices say the possibility of a sanctuary indicates a broader global shift away from animal displays and could represent a workable approach in the short term.

The project lead, director of the sanctuary project, said the site will simulate the mental engagement and feeding regimen the whales get from trainers, albeit in a significantly bigger environment. He said after the health of whales is fully assessed, which could take months|an extended period|