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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie is an cute small “sweetheart”. The whale Orion – nicknamed “Onion” – is a big but fiercely protective companion. Zephyr has “endless energy” and wiggles like a wiggly creature. Lillooet is the “loving presence” with a heart of gold.

Thirty captive beluga whales in a Canada-based entertainment facility have been entangled in a disagreement between a shuttered park, public officials and welfare campaigners.

But those working directly with the whales say the heated discussion over their destiny often ignores the individual traits of the whales who, after growing up in captivity, have been closely studied by the people who work with them regularly.

After the federal government blocked the export of the belugas to a foreign facility, the embattled amusement park near the famous falls where they are housed warned to put them down unless the government covers the cost of their care. Canada’s fisheries minister has refused that ultimatum, placing the thirty whales in an increasingly precarious situation.

Highly Cognitive Marine Mammals

Researchers say that belugas’ brain structure, along with their sound replication, intellectual tasks and social skills suggest they are deeply intelligent creatures – something Kristy Burgess observed directly.

She spent three years as a marine mammal specialist, a role that required building relationships of the marine predators.

“Building up those connections over time takes a lot of consistency and a lot of love. At the outset, they’re very unsure of you,” she said. “Over time, you gain reciprocal understanding. And they start being more vulnerable with you. It’s just so magical and rewarding.”

Burgess knew the whales were very smart, but she says she was nevertheless surprised by the details and unique traits in their dispositions. She developed a deep bond for Eve and Cleopatra with different natures.

“One whale selected me. Cleo required effort,” she said. “Both altered the way I understand connection.”

Public Concerns and Deteriorating Conditions

Her connection with the whales evolved against a backdrop of rising activist criticism to their confinement.

During her three years at the attraction, seven belugas and the park’s one killer whale, the orca, succumbed. In total, nineteen belugas have perished at the park since 2019, a statistic which the park links to expected lifespan, but which advocates say reflects the poor conditions in which they were kept.

The facility did not open to the guests over the summer, but Burgess says she witnessed firsthand consequences of the closure. “Structural materials is deteriorating from the enclosures because they’re in disrepair and not being repaired. The whales are inquisitive and so they pick it up and move about with chunks in their jaws. It’s heartbreaking to see.”

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

Uncertain Future and Potential Resolutions

The former employee was dismissed from the park in early March following the passing of a beluga, an ailing beluga the caretakers had to euthanize. She said the facility suspected information of the death were shared to the media and she was fired soon after.

The ambiguity over the whales’ future has left Burgess and other caretakers in distress. She says the facility’s ultimatum to kill its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “practically unfeasible” undertaking, adding any attempts to put down even a one beluga would require “immense staff”, equipment and specialized tools.

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

She advocates for demands for the whales to be taken immediately from the facility, with its crumbling tanks and shrinking team.

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

“Allowing the request would have meant a perpetual situation in confinement and a reversion to display for amusement,” the official stated. “As the public, we know that belugas should be in the ocean, not in enclosures for our amusement. I could not in good conscience permit an export that would prolong the conditions these belugas have suffered.”

But Burgess said the official’s remarks reflect a broader lack of awareness of the circumstances of living conditions for belugas living their whole lives in enclosures.

“The public needs to realize these are whales that have lived entirely in captivity and they will need human care for the foreseeable future,” she said. “Many just don’t realize that it’s not as easy as saying ‘shut it down’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Continuing Discussion

As authorities struggle to find a answer, ideas have surfaced, some of which have minimal feasibility. An idea called for the belugas to be let go into the wilds of northern regions – where whales are a key source of sustenance for Indigenous peoples.

A planned protected area in the region of eastern Canada, which recently received official endorsement, has been most controversial. The prospective facility, which includes extensive space of enclosed sea water, is not yet built. Supporters remain hopeful that it could ultimately represent a long term resolution for eight of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among staff she’s discussed with, there is “doubts there” about what she said is “simply an experiment” in the whales’ future.

Some experts say the prospect of a sanctuary represents a broader global shift away from captive facilities and could represent a viable approach in the short term.

Charles Vinick, director of the plan, said the facility will mimic the intellectual stimulation and nutrition the whales obtain from trainers, albeit in a more expansive environment. He said after the well-being of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|