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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie is an adorable small “playful character”. Orion – called “Onion Ring” – is a sizeable but fiercely protective friend. Zephyr has “constant motion” and moves like a worm. Lillooet is the “loving presence” with a kind nature.

Thirty enclosed beluga whales in a Canada-based entertainment facility have become pawns in a tussle between a defunct facility, government authorities and animal rights activists.

But those working directly with the whales say the heated controversy over their destiny often overlooks the complexities of the whales who, after spending their lives in confinement, have been closely studied by the people who interact with them daily.

After the national authorities blocked the sale of the belugas to China, the struggling amusement park near Niagara Falls where they are housed threatened to euthanize them unless the government funds the expense of their survival. Canada’s marine resources official has refused that ultimatum, placing the thirty whales in an ever more uncertain position.

Intelligent Marine Mammals

Researchers say that belugas’ brain structure, along with their sound replication, problem solving and group interactions point to they are remarkably smart mammals – something a former trainer learned directly.

She spent a significant period as a marine mammal specialist, a position that required building relationships of the aquatic animals.

“Establishing those connections over time takes a lot of regularity and a lot of affection. At the beginning, they’re very cautious of you,” she said. “Over time, you gain reciprocal understanding. And they start being more vulnerable with you. It’s just so extraordinary and fulfilling.”

The trainer knew the whales were highly intelligent, but she says she was nevertheless astounded by the details and quirks in their dispositions. She formed a special affection for Eve and Cleopatra with opposing temperaments.

“One whale chose me. The other demanded work,” she said. “They changed the way I understand bonding.”

Growing Opposition and Deteriorating Conditions

Her connection with the whales evolved against a background of rising activist criticism to their captivity.

During her tenure at the attraction, multiple belugas and the park’s one orca, the orca, died. In total, nineteen belugas have died at the park since recent years, a number which the facility links to natural mortality, but which advocates say indicates the substandard environment in which they were kept.

The park did not operate to the public over the recent season, but the former trainer says she saw with her own eyes results of the closure. “Concrete is breaking off from the tanks because they’re falling apart and not being fixed. The whales are inquisitive and so they take pieces and move about with chunks in their mouth. It’s heartbreaking to see.”

The facility did not comment to a request for comment, but previously asserted: “The whales … obtain far better veterinary services and 24/7 care than any human in the United Kingdom, or elsewhere.”

Fate in Limbo and Proposed Solutions

The former employee was fired from the park in early March following the death of a beluga, an sick beluga the employees had to humanely kill. She said the park believed details of the death were shared to the media and she was fired shortly thereafter.

The lack of clarity over the whales’ fate has left her and other caretakers in anguish. She says the park’s warning to end the lives of its whales is a bargaining chip and is a “logistically impossible” task, adding any efforts to humanely kill even a single beluga would require “significant personnel”, trucks and specialized tools.

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

Burgess backs demands for the whales to be taken promptly from the park, with its failing enclosures and reduced personnel.

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

“Granting the application would have meant a ongoing life in confinement and a return to display for amusement,” the official stated. “As the public, we know that marine mammals are meant for the ocean, not in pools for our entertainment. I could not in ethical standing authorize an relocation that would continue the conditions these belugas have endured.”

But Burgess said the official’s comments reflect a more general lack of awareness of the circumstances of life for belugas born in captivity.

“The public needs to realize these are whales that have spent their whole lives in confinement 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 easy as saying ‘end operations’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Continuing Discussion

As authorities struggle to find a solution, proposals have surfaced, some of which have little basis in reality. One proposal called for the belugas to be released into the open waters of Canada’s north – where whales are a primary resource of nourishment for Inuit communities.

A proposed sanctuary in the province of Nova Scotia, which recently received regulatory clearance, has been contentious. The prospective location, which includes extensive space of enclosed sea water, doesn’t yet exist. Advocates remain positive that it could in time represent a sustainable solution for eight of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among staff she’s consulted, there is “skepticism there” about what she said is “merely an trial” in the whales’ fate.

Others say the prospect of a protected habitat represents a broader global shift away from zoos and aquariums and could represent a viable plan in the coming months.

An official, leader of the plan, said the site will mimic the cognitive activities and diet the whales get from trainers, albeit in a significantly bigger area. He said after the well-being of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|