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Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie Botts is an adorable little “ham sandwich”. The whale Orion – nicknamed “Onion” – is a large but fiercely protective friend. Another whale, Zephyr has “endless energy” and wiggles like a wiggly creature. Lillooet the beluga is the “most affectionate” with a kind nature.

Thirty captive marine mammals in a Canadian entertainment facility have been caught in a tussle between a defunct facility, public officials and advocacy groups.

But those closest to the whales say the heated debate over their destiny often overlooks the complexities of the whales who, after living their entire lives in enclosed habitats, have been carefully observed by the humans who interact with them daily.

After the national authorities prevented the sale of the belugas to China, the controversial attraction near Niagara Falls where they are kept threatened to end their lives unless the authorities covers the expense of their care. The nation’s fisheries minister has refused that ultimatum, placing the 30 whales in an increasingly precarious situation.

Highly Cognitive Marine Mammals

Researchers say that beluga whales’ neuroanatomy, along with their sound replication, problem solving and communal behavior suggest they are remarkably smart mammals – something a former trainer observed directly.

She spent a significant period as a beluga trainer, a role that entailed earning the trust of the marine predators.

“Building up those relationships over time takes a lot of consistency and a lot of love. At the outset, they’re very cautious of you,” she said. “Eventually, you gain shared confidence. And they start being more trusting with you. It’s just so wonderful and fulfilling.”

Burgess knew the whales were highly intelligent, but she says she was nevertheless surprised by the subtleties and idiosyncrasies in their dispositions. She developed a deep bond for two female belugas with contrasting temperaments.

“One whale selected me. The other made me earn it,” she said. “Each transformed the way I perceive connection.”

Public Concerns and Facility Decline

Her relationship with the whales evolved against a background of growing public opposition to their confinement.

During her time at the attraction, seven belugas and the park’s one orca, Kiska, succumbed. In total, 19 belugas have died at the park since 2019, a statistic which the facility links to expected lifespan, but which campaigners say indicates the inadequate care in which they were kept.

The facility did not admit visitors to the visitors over the summer, but Burgess says she observed directly results of the closure. “Structural materials is falling apart from the tanks because they’re falling apart and not being maintained. The whales are exploratory and so they grab fragments and move about with chunks in their jaws. It’s distressing to see.”

The facility did not respond to a inquiry, but in the past stated: “The whales … get far superior health care and 24/7 supervision than any individual in the Britain, or elsewhere.”

Fate in Limbo and Proposed Solutions

Burgess was fired from the park in recent months following the death of Eos, an unwell beluga the employees had to euthanize. She said the park believed details of the death were shared to the media and she was fired soon after.

The lack of clarity over the whales’ future has left her and current and former trainers in anguish. She says the park’s threat to kill its whales is a bargaining chip and is a “practically unfeasible” task, adding any efforts to put down even a single beluga would require “significant staff”, vehicles and heavy equipment.

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

Burgess advocates for demands for the whales to be removed promptly from the park, with its crumbling tanks and reduced personnel.

In the autumn, the nation’s government official denied a proposal to send the whales to an overseas location.

“To approve the application would have meant a perpetual life in enclosure and a reversion to performance for audiences,” the minister commented. “As the public, we know that marine mammals are meant for the wild, not in pools for our amusement. I could not in clear conscience approve an export that would perpetuate the situation these belugas have endured.”

But the former trainer said the minister’s remarks reveal a wider misunderstanding of the circumstances of living conditions for belugas raised in confinement.

“The society needs to understand these are whales that have lived entirely 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’.”

Alternative Habitat and Continuing Discussion

As decision makers attempt to find a solution, proposals have surfaced, some of which have little basis in reality. An idea called for the belugas to be let go into the open waters of the Arctic – where whales are a primary resource of nourishment for Inuit communities.

A proposed refuge in the region of Nova Scotia, which has received official endorsement, has been highly debated. The planned site, which includes a large area of penned in ocean, doesn’t yet exist. Advocates remain hopeful that it could eventually represent a long term solution for a number of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among trainers she’s discussed with, there is “no trust there” about what she said is “merely an experiment” in the whales’ well-being.

Some experts say the idea of a protected habitat represents a worldwide trend away from animal displays and could represent a feasible plan in the near future.

Charles Vinick, director of the plan, said the facility will mimic the mental engagement and diet the whales obtain from specialists, albeit in a more expansive environment. He said after the health of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|