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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie is an adorable small “playful character”. The whale Orion – nicknamed “Onion” – is a sizeable but guardian-like companion. Zephyr has “endless energy” and wiggles like a worm. Lillooet is the “most affectionate” with a kind nature.

Thirty enclosed beluga whales in a Canadian entertainment facility have been entangled in a tussle between a defunct facility, government authorities and welfare campaigners.

But those closest to the whales say the impassioned discussion over their future often ignores the nuances of the whales who, after living their entire lives in enclosed habitats, have been closely studied by the humans who work with them regularly.

After the federal government prevented the transfer of the belugas to China, the struggling attraction near the famous falls where they are housed warned to end their lives unless the authorities pays for the cost of their survival. The nation’s fisheries minister has rejected that ultimatum, placing the thirty whales in an ever more uncertain position.

Highly Cognitive Marine Mammals

Researchers say that belugas’ brain structure, along with their sound replication, problem solving and social skills point to they are highly cognitive mammals – something a former trainer discovered first-hand.

Burgess spent three years as a marine mammal specialist, a job that involved earning the trust of the marine predators.

“Establishing those bonds over time takes a lot of dedication and a lot of affection. At the start, they’re very wary of you,” she said. “In time, you gain mutual trust. And they start being more vulnerable with you. It’s just so wonderful and fulfilling.”

Burgess knew the whales were very smart, but she says she was nevertheless astounded by the nuances and idiosyncrasies in their personalities. She formed a special affection for two female belugas with contrasting temperaments.

“Eve chose me. The other required effort,” she said. “Both altered the way I perceive relationships.”

Public Concerns and Deteriorating Conditions

Her relationship with the whales developed against a backdrop of rising activist criticism to their confinement.

During her tenure at the facility, multiple belugas and the park’s single orca, Kiska, died. In all, 19 belugas have perished at the park since 2019, a number which the park ascribes to age-related causes, but which activists say points to the poor conditions in which they were kept.

The park did not open to the visitors over the summer, but Burgess says she saw with her own eyes effects of the closure. “Concrete is deteriorating from the enclosures because they’re falling apart and not being fixed. The whales are exploratory and so they take pieces and navigate with pieces in their jaws. It’s distressing to see.”

The park did not reply to a questionnaire, but previously claimed: “The whales … get far superior medical attention and 24/7 supervision than any human in the UK, or anywhere else.”

Fate in Limbo and Proposed Solutions

The former employee was terminated from the facility in early March following the passing of Eos, an sick beluga the caretakers had to euthanize. She said the facility believed information of the incident were disclosed to the news outlets and she was released not long after.

The uncertainty over the whales’ outcome has left her and current and former trainers in anguish. She says the park’s warning to euthanize its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “practically unfeasible” undertaking, adding any attempts to put down even a single beluga would require “considerable manpower”, vehicles and heavy equipment.

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

Burgess supports demands for the whales to be taken promptly from the facility, with its deteriorating pools and dwindling staff.

In recent months, the nation’s fisheries minister rejected a proposal to export the whales to an overseas location.

“To approve the application would have meant a ongoing situation in enclosure and a return to public entertainment,” the minister wrote. “As Canadians, we know that belugas are meant for the ocean, not in pools for our enjoyment. I could not in ethical standing approve an export that would continue the situation these belugas have experienced.”

But the former trainer said the minister’s comments reflect a wider misunderstanding of the realities of life for belugas living their whole lives in enclosures.

“The people needs to realize these are whales that have existed solely in enclosed habitats and they will need human care for the remainder of their lives,” she said. “The public just don’t comprehend that it’s not as simple as saying ‘shut it down’.”

Alternative Habitat and Continuing Discussion

As authorities struggle to find a resolution, proposals have emerged, some of which have little basis in reality. One proposal called for the belugas to be released into the wilds of the Arctic – where whales are a primary resource of sustenance for local populations.

A proposed sanctuary in the province of eastern Canada, which recently received official endorsement, has shown to be most controversial. The future location, which includes a large area of protected cove, doesn’t yet exist. Proponents remain hopeful that it could ultimately represent a long term answer for a number of the whales.

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

Others say the possibility of a refuge indicates a worldwide trend away from captive facilities and could represent a viable solution in the near future.

An official, head of the sanctuary project, said the location will simulate the cognitive activities and diet the whales obtain from trainers, albeit in a much larger environment. He said after the medical condition of whales is fully assessed, which could take months|an extended period|