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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie Botts is an charming little “playful character”. The whale Orion – called “Onion” – is a sizeable but fiercely protective companion. Another whale, Zephyr has “constant motion” and moves like a wiggly creature. Lillooet is the “most affectionate” with a kind nature.

Thirty captive beluga whales in a Canadian entertainment facility have been entangled in a tussle between a defunct facility, local and national governments and advocacy groups.

But those closest to the whales say the impassioned controversy over their future often ignores the nuances of the whales who, after living their entire lives in enclosed habitats, have been carefully observed by the people who interact with them daily.

After the Canadian government disallowed the transfer of the belugas to a foreign facility, the embattled attraction near the famous falls where they are housed warned to put them down unless the authorities funds the expense of their care. The nation’s marine resources official has rejected that ultimatum, placing the thirty whales in an ever more uncertain situation.

Highly Cognitive Sea Creatures

Scientists say that beluga whales’ neuroanatomy, along with their sound replication, cognitive challenges and social skills suggest they are highly cognitive mammals – something a former trainer learned first-hand.

Burgess spent several years as a beluga trainer, a position that involved building relationships of the sea creatures.

“Building up those relationships over time takes a lot of dedication and a lot of affection. At the beginning, they’re very unsure of you,” she said. “Over time, you gain shared confidence. And they start being more vulnerable with you. It’s just so wonderful and gratifying.”

Burgess knew the whales were highly intelligent, but she says she was nonetheless amazed by the nuances and quirks in their personalities. She developed a particular love for a pair of whales with opposing natures.

“One whale selected me. Cleo demanded work,” she said. “Both changed the way I understand connection.”

Public Concerns and Facility Decline

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

During her tenure at the facility, seven belugas and the park’s single killer whale, the orca, passed away. In all, 19 belugas have perished at the park since 2019, a statistic which the facility ascribes to natural mortality, but which campaigners say points to the poor conditions in which they were maintained.

The facility did not open to the public over the summer, but Burgess says she witnessed firsthand consequences of the shutdown. “Structural materials is falling apart from the pools because they’re in disrepair and not being repaired. The whales are exploratory and so they take pieces and navigate with fragments in their mouth. It’s distressing to see.”

The facility did not comment to a inquiry, but in the past claimed: “The whales … obtain far better veterinary services and constant attention than any individual in the UK, or elsewhere.”

Uncertain Future and Potential Resolutions

The former employee was fired from the facility in recent months following the death of a beluga, an unwell beluga the park staff had to put down. She said the facility believed particulars of the incident were disclosed to the media and she was fired shortly thereafter.

The lack of clarity over the whales’ future has left Burgess and other caretakers in despair. She says the facility’s ultimatum to kill its whales is a bargaining chip and is a “logistically impossible” task, adding any attempts to euthanize even a single beluga would require “significant staff”, vehicles and heavy equipment.

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

Burgess advocates for demands for the whales to be removed immediately from the park, with its deteriorating pools and reduced personnel.

In late September, Canada’s government official denied a request to export the whales to an overseas location.

“To approve the proposal would have meant a ongoing situation in enclosure and a return to public entertainment,” the minister wrote. “As Canadians, we know that marine mammals should be in the sea, not in tanks for our amusement. I could not in clear conscience permit an export that would perpetuate the treatment these belugas have endured.”

But Burgess said the minister’s remarks reveal a broader lack of awareness of the facts of life for belugas born in captivity.

“The society needs to realize these are whales that have spent their whole lives in captivity and they will need ongoing assistance for the remainder of their lives,” she said. “Many just don’t understand that it’s not as easy as saying ‘end operations’.”

Alternative Habitat and Ongoing Debate

As authorities attempt to find a resolution, suggestions have emerged, some of which have minimal feasibility. An idea called for the belugas to be freed into the natural habitat of the Arctic – where whales are a primary resource of food for local populations.

A planned sanctuary in the region of eastern Canada, which now received government approval, has shown to be highly debated. The planned site, which includes 100 acres of enclosed sea water, remains undeveloped. Proponents remain positive that it could in time represent a permanent solution for a number of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among staff she’s spoken with, there is “doubts there” about what she said is “merely an trial” in the whales’ well-being.

Others say the prospect of a protected habitat reflects a worldwide trend away from zoos and aquariums and could represent a workable plan in the near future.

Charles Vinick, leader of the sanctuary project, said the location will simulate the cognitive activities and diet the whales get from trainers, albeit in a more expansive area. He said after the medical condition of whales is fully assessed, which could take months|an extended period|