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Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie is an cute small “sweetheart”. Orion – called “Onion Ring” – is a big but guardian-like friend. Zephyr has “constant motion” and sways like a worm. Lillooet the beluga is the “loving presence” with a gentle spirit.

A group of thirty captive beluga whales in a Canada-based entertainment facility have been entangled in a disagreement between a defunct facility, public officials and welfare campaigners.

But those closest to the whales say the heated debate over their future often fails to consider the nuances of the whales who, after growing up in enclosed habitats, have been closely studied by the caretakers who interact with them daily.

After the Canadian government prevented the transfer of the belugas to a foreign facility, the controversial attraction near the famous falls where they are kept threatened to end their lives unless the government covers the upkeep of their care. The nation’s marine resources official has denied that demand, placing the 30 whales in an ever more uncertain position.

Highly Cognitive Sea Creatures

Scientists say that belugas’ neuroanatomy, along with their vocal imitation skills, cognitive challenges and group interactions point to they are highly cognitive mammals – something Kristy Burgess learned personally.

She spent three years as a beluga trainer, a role that entailed building relationships of the aquatic animals.

“Developing those relationships over time takes a lot of regularity and a lot of love. At the outset, they’re very cautious of you,” she said. “Over time, you gain mutual trust. And they start being more trusting with you. It’s just so extraordinary and gratifying.”

The trainer knew the whales were exceptionally cognitive, but she says she was nevertheless amazed by the nuances and unique traits in their personalities. She developed a particular love for Eve and Cleopatra with opposing personalities.

“One whale chose me. Cleo made me earn it,” she said. “They changed the way I perceive relationships.”

Growing Opposition and Deteriorating Conditions

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

During her tenure at the attraction, seven belugas and the park’s single orca, the orca, died. In total, 19 belugas have perished at the park since 2019, a toll which the facility attributes to age-related causes, but which advocates say points to the poor conditions in which they were kept.

The facility did not open to the public over the recent season, but the former trainer says she witnessed firsthand effects of the shutdown. “Concrete is falling apart from the tanks because they’re degrading and not being fixed. The whales are inquisitive and so they pick it up and move about with fragments in their mouth. It’s distressing to see.”

The facility did not respond to a request for comment, but earlier asserted: “The whales … obtain far superior health care and around the clock supervision than any person in the United Kingdom, or elsewhere.”

Uncertain Future and Proposed Solutions

Burgess was terminated from the facility in the spring following the passing of Eos, an sick beluga the employees had to humanely kill. She said the park thought details of the incident were shared to the news outlets and she was released soon after.

The uncertainty over the whales’ fate has left Burgess and current and former trainers in distress. She says the park’s threat to kill its whales is a bargaining chip and is a “logistically impossible” undertaking, adding any attempts to put down even a one beluga would require “considerable personnel”, trucks and specialized tools.

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

She advocates for requests for the whales to be taken immediately from the park, with its failing enclosures and shrinking team.

In the autumn, Canada’s government official rejected a bid to export the whales to China.

“Allowing the request would have meant a continued situation in confinement and a return to performance for audiences,” the official wrote. “As the public, we know that belugas belong in the sea, not in enclosures for our amusement. I could not in good conscience approve an relocation that would perpetuate the situation these belugas have endured.”

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

“The people needs to realize these are whales that have existed solely in confinement and they will need ongoing assistance for the rest of their years,” she said. “People just don’t understand that it’s not as simple as saying ‘end operations’.”

Alternative Habitat and Ongoing Debate

As authorities struggle to find a answer, ideas have surfaced, 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 important part of nourishment for Inuit communities.

A proposed protected area in the region of Nova Scotia, which has received regulatory clearance, has been highly debated. The planned facility, which includes 100 acres of penned in ocean, is not yet built. Advocates remain hopeful that it could ultimately represent a sustainable answer for some of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among trainers she’s consulted, there is “no trust there” about what she said is “simply an experiment” in the whales’ future.

Different voices say the possibility of a sanctuary represents a worldwide trend away from zoos and aquariums and could represent a feasible solution in the short term.

An official, director of the plan, said the location will mimic the mental engagement and nutrition the whales receive from trainers, albeit in a significantly bigger area. He said after the medical condition of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|