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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie Botts is an charming small “ham sandwich”. The whale Orion – called “Onion Ring” – is a sizeable but very loyal companion. Zephyr has “endless energy” and moves like a wiggly creature. Lillooet is the “most affectionate” with a kind nature.

Thirty captive marine mammals in a Canada-based entertainment facility have been entangled in a disagreement between a defunct facility, government authorities and advocacy groups.

But those most familiar with the whales say the impassioned controversy over their future often ignores the nuances of the whales who, after living their entire lives in confinement, have been closely studied by the caretakers who see them each day.

After the Canadian government disallowed the transfer of the belugas to a foreign facility, the struggling facility near Niagara Falls where they are housed threatened to euthanize them unless the authorities pays for the expense of their care. Canada’s marine resources official has refused that request, placing the 30 whales in an dangerously unstable circumstance.

Intelligent Marine Mammals

Researchers say that beluga whales’ brain structure, along with their sound replication, cognitive challenges and group interactions suggest they are highly cognitive creatures – something a former trainer learned directly.

She spent several years as a beluga trainer, a position that required building relationships of the marine predators.

“Building up those bonds over time takes a lot of dedication and a lot of love. At the start, they’re very wary of you,” she said. “Over time, you gain reciprocal understanding. And they start being more trusting with you. It’s just so wonderful and rewarding.”

The trainer knew the whales were very smart, but she says she was even so amazed by the subtleties and quirks in their dispositions. She formed a special affection for Eve and Cleopatra with contrasting temperaments.

“One whale accepted me. The other made me earn it,” she said. “Each changed the way I understand connection.”

Growing Opposition and Facility Decline

Her interaction with the whales developed against a context of rising activist criticism to their captivity.

During her three years at the park, multiple belugas and the park’s single orca, the orca, succumbed. In all, 19 belugas have died at the park since 2019, a statistic which the facility ascribes to natural mortality, but which campaigners say indicates the substandard environment in which they were kept.

The facility did not open to the guests over the recent season, but the former trainer says she observed directly results of the cessation. “Structural materials is breaking off from the tanks because they’re falling apart and not being fixed. The whales are exploratory and so they pick it up and navigate with pieces in their jaws. It’s upsetting to see.”

The facility did not respond to a request for comment, but in the past claimed: “The whales … receive far superior health care and constant supervision than any person in the UK, or anywhere else.”

Uncertain Future and Proposed Solutions

The former employee was fired from the park in recent months following the death of Eos, an ailing beluga the park staff had to euthanize. She said the facility suspected particulars of the death were shared to the press and she was released soon after.

The lack of clarity over the whales’ outcome has left her and other caretakers in anguish. She says the facility’s warning to end the lives of its whales is a bargaining chip and is a “practically unfeasible” endeavor, adding any plans to euthanize even a individual beluga would require “considerable manpower”, equipment and heavy equipment.

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

Burgess backs calls for the whales to be removed promptly from the facility, with its deteriorating pools and shrinking team.

In late September, the nation’s government official denied a bid to send the whales to an overseas location.

“Granting the proposal would have meant a perpetual existence in captivity and a reversion to performance for audiences,” the official wrote. “As the public, we know that belugas are meant for the sea, not in enclosures for our enjoyment. I could not in ethical standing permit an export that would perpetuate the conditions these belugas have suffered.”

But Burgess said the official’s comments indicate a broader misunderstanding of the circumstances of living conditions for belugas born in captivity.

“The people needs to grasp these are whales that have lived entirely in confinement and they will need ongoing assistance for the rest of their years,” she said. “Many just don’t realize that it’s not as simple as saying ‘close it down’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Continuing Discussion

As decision makers attempt to find a resolution, proposals have surfaced, some of which have minimal feasibility. An idea called for the belugas to be let go into the open waters of Canada’s north – where whales are a key source of nourishment for Indigenous peoples.

A suggested refuge in the region of Nova Scotia, which has received government approval, has proven contentious. The prospective site, which includes extensive space of enclosed sea water, is not yet built. Supporters remain positive that it could ultimately represent a permanent solution for a number of the whales.

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

Different voices say the possibility of a sanctuary reflects a broader global shift away from zoos and aquariums and could represent a viable plan in the coming months.

Charles Vinick, director of the sanctuary project, said the location will mimic the mental engagement and nutrition the whales obtain from specialists, albeit in a significantly bigger space. He said after the health of whales is completely examined, which could take months|an extended period|