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Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie is an adorable little “sweetheart”. Orion – nicknamed “Onion Ring” – is a sizeable but fiercely protective friend. Zephyr has “endless energy” and moves like a worm. Lillooet the beluga is the “most affectionate” with a kind nature.

A group of thirty captive marine mammals in a Canadian entertainment facility have become pawns in a disagreement between a closed attraction, government authorities and animal rights activists.

But those most familiar with the whales say the intense controversy over their future often ignores the individual traits of the whales who, after living their entire lives in confinement, 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 facility near Niagara Falls where they are held stated it would consider to euthanize them unless the federal government pays for the cost of their care. Canada’s marine resources official has denied that request, placing the 30 whales in an ever more uncertain situation.

Highly Cognitive Marine Mammals

Researchers say that belugas’ brain structure, along with their sound replication, problem solving and group interactions indicate they are highly cognitive animals – something one caretaker learned personally.

She spent three years as a marine mammal specialist, a job that involved earning the trust of the aquatic animals.

“Establishing those relationships over time takes a lot of regularity and a lot of love. At the beginning, they’re very cautious of you,” she said. “In time, you gain shared confidence. And they start being more open with you. It’s just so extraordinary and fulfilling.”

The trainer knew the whales were exceptionally cognitive, but she says she was nonetheless surprised by the subtleties and quirks in their dispositions. She cultivated a deep bond for Eve and Cleopatra with contrasting natures.

“Eve selected me. Cleo demanded work,” she said. “They transformed the way I view connection.”

Public Concerns and Facility Decline

Burgess’s relationship with the whales developed against a context of increasing societal concern to their enclosure.

During her three years at the park, seven belugas and the park’s one orca, the orca, passed away. In total, 19 belugas have perished at the park since recent years, a toll which the park ascribes to expected lifespan, but which activists say points to the poor conditions in which they were housed.

The park did not open to the public over the summer, but the former trainer says she saw with her own eyes effects of the cessation. “Concrete is deteriorating from the enclosures because they’re degrading and not being maintained. The whales are inquisitive and so they grab fragments and move about with chunks in their mouth. It’s heartbreaking to see.”

The park did not comment to a request for comment, but in the past stated: “The whales … get far higher quality veterinary services and around the clock attention than any human in the UK, or anywhere else.”

Uncertain Future and Proposed Solutions

The former employee was terminated from the park in the spring following the death of a beluga, an ailing beluga the caretakers had to humanely kill. She said the facility thought information of the incident were shared to the press and she was released shortly thereafter.

The uncertainty over the whales’ fate has left Burgess and staff members in anguish. She says the facility’s warning to euthanize its whales is a leverage tool and is a “extremely difficult” undertaking, adding any efforts to humanely kill even a one beluga would require “considerable manpower”, equipment and specialized tools.

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

Burgess advocates for requests for the whales to be transferred immediately from the facility, with its crumbling tanks and shrinking team.

In late September, Canada’s government official turned down a request to export the whales to an overseas location.

“Granting the request would have meant a ongoing life in enclosure and a reversion to display for amusement,” the official commented. “As society, we know that marine mammals belong in the ocean, not in enclosures for our enjoyment. I could not in clear conscience authorize an export that would prolong the conditions these belugas have endured.”

But the former trainer said the official’s statements reflect a more general incorrect perception of the facts of life for belugas living their whole lives in enclosures.

“The people needs to understand these are whales that have spent their whole lives in enclosed habitats and they will need constant supervision for the remainder of their lives,” she said. “Many just don’t understand that it’s not as straightforward as saying ‘end operations’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Continuing Discussion

As officials work to find a resolution, proposals have surfaced, some of which have little basis in reality. An idea called for the belugas to be let go into the natural habitat of northern regions – where whales are a key source of sustenance for Indigenous peoples.

A suggested protected area in the region of Nova Scotia, which recently received regulatory clearance, has shown to be most controversial. The prospective facility, which includes a large area of enclosed sea water, remains undeveloped. Advocates remain positive that it could eventually represent a permanent solution for eight of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among trainers she’s discussed with, there is “skepticism there” about what she said is “only an experiment” in the whales’ well-being.

Others say the possibility of a sanctuary represents a changing attitudes away from animal displays and could represent a workable approach in the short term.

The project lead, director of the initiative, said the facility will replicate the intellectual stimulation and diet the whales obtain from specialists, albeit in a much larger space. He said after the medical condition of whales is fully assessed, which could take months|an extended period|