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Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie Botts is an charming little “sweetheart”. The whale Orion – nicknamed “Onion” – is a large but fiercely protective friend. Zephyr has “endless energy” and moves like a worm. Lillooet is the “most affectionate” with a kind nature.

A group of thirty captive beluga whales in a Canada-based entertainment facility have been caught in a tussle between a closed attraction, public officials and advocacy groups.

But those most familiar with the whales say the impassioned discussion over their fate often fails to consider the complexities of the whales who, after spending their lives in confinement, have been thoroughly researched by the humans who work with them regularly.

After the Canadian government prevented the export of the belugas to China, the controversial facility near the famous falls where they are kept threatened to put them down unless the government covers the cost of their survival. Canada’s marine resources official has denied that demand, placing the 30 whales in an increasingly precarious position.

Intelligent Sea Creatures

Experts say that belugas’ brain structure, along with their vocal imitation skills, cognitive challenges and group interactions indicate they are deeply intelligent mammals – something Kristy Burgess observed personally.

She spent several years as a beluga trainer, a role that involved earning the trust of the marine predators.

“Developing those connections over time takes a lot of regularity and a lot of care. At the beginning, they’re very wary of you,” she said. “Eventually, you gain reciprocal understanding. And they start being more vulnerable with you. It’s just so magical and fulfilling.”

The trainer knew the whales were exceptionally cognitive, but she says she was even so astounded by the details and unique traits in their dispositions. She cultivated a special affection for two female belugas with contrasting temperaments.

“One whale accepted me. Cleo required effort,” she said. “Each transformed the way I perceive bonding.”

Growing Opposition and Facility Decline

Burgess’s interaction with the whales progressed against a context of increasing societal concern to their enclosure.

During her tenure at the facility, seven belugas and the park’s single orca, the orca, passed away. In all, 19 belugas have died at the park since recent years, a toll which the facility attributes to age-related causes, but which activists say points to the substandard environment in which they were kept.

The park did not admit visitors to the guests over the recent season, but the former trainer says she saw with her own eyes consequences of the shutdown. “Structural materials is deteriorating from the tanks because they’re degrading and not being fixed. The whales are inquisitive and so they take pieces and move about with fragments in their mouth. It’s heartbreaking to see.”

The park did not respond to a questionnaire, but previously asserted: “The whales … receive far superior medical attention and around the clock care than any individual in the UK, or elsewhere.”

Uncertain Future and Potential Resolutions

Burgess was dismissed from the park in early March following the death of Eos, an unwell beluga the employees had to put down. She said the facility suspected details of the death were disclosed to the news outlets and she was released shortly thereafter.

The ambiguity over the whales’ outcome has left her and current and former trainers in distress. She says the park’s threat to kill its whales is a bargaining chip and is a “extremely difficult” undertaking, adding any efforts to humanely kill even a single beluga would require “significant staff”, equipment and specialized tools.

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

Burgess supports calls for the whales to be transferred right away from the park, with its deteriorating pools and reduced personnel.

In the autumn, the nation’s government official turned down a bid to export the whales to an overseas location.

“Allowing the application would have meant a ongoing existence in enclosure and a return to performance for audiences,” the official wrote. “As Canadians, we know that belugas should be in the sea, not in pools for our entertainment. I could not in clear conscience permit an relocation that would continue the situation these belugas have endured.”

But Burgess said the minister’s comments indicate a broader incorrect perception of the realities of life for belugas raised in confinement.

“The public needs to realize these are whales that have spent their whole lives in captivity and they will need human care for the foreseeable future,” she said. “The public just don’t understand that it’s not as straightforward as saying ‘end operations’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Continuing Discussion

As authorities work to find a resolution, ideas have emerged, some of which have minimal feasibility. One proposal called for the belugas to be let go into the wilds of northern regions – where whales are a primary resource of nourishment for Indigenous peoples.

A proposed sanctuary in the province of Nova Scotia, which has received official endorsement, has shown to be highly debated. The prospective site, which includes extensive space of enclosed sea water, is not yet built. Supporters remain positive that it could eventually represent a sustainable answer for eight of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among trainers she’s discussed with, there is “no trust there” about what she said is “merely an untested concept” in the whales’ fate.

Different voices say the possibility of a refuge represents a changing attitudes away from animal displays and could represent a viable plan in the short term.

An official, director of the plan, said the location will replicate the intellectual stimulation and feeding regimen the whales get from caretakers, albeit in a significantly bigger space. He said after the well-being of whales is fully assessed, which could take months|an extended period|