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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie Botts is an charming little “sweetheart”. Orion – nicknamed “Onion” – is a sizeable but guardian-like friend. Another whale, Zephyr has “constant motion” and sways like a worm. Lillooet is the “most affectionate” with a heart of gold.

A group of thirty enclosed beluga whales in a Canadian amusement park have become pawns in a struggle between a closed attraction, local and national governments and advocacy groups.

But those working directly with the whales say the impassioned controversy over their destiny often overlooks the complexities of the whales who, after growing up in captivity, have been closely studied by the caretakers who interact with them daily.

After the national authorities blocked the sale of the belugas to China, the embattled facility near Niagara Falls where they are housed threatened to put them down unless the government funds the expense of their care. The nation’s fisheries minister has refused that request, placing the thirty whales in an ever more uncertain position.

Highly Cognitive Sea Creatures

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

Burgess spent three years as a beluga trainer, a role that required earning the trust of the marine predators.

“Establishing those connections over time takes a lot of regularity and a lot of care. At the start, they’re very wary of you,” she said. “Over time, you gain reciprocal understanding. And they start being more open with you. It’s just so magical and rewarding.”

Burgess knew the whales were highly intelligent, but she says she was even so amazed by the subtleties and idiosyncrasies in their personalities. She developed a particular love for Eve and Cleopatra with opposing personalities.

“Eve accepted me. Cleo demanded work,” she said. “Each changed the way I perceive bonding.”

Public Concerns and Facility Decline

Burgess’s relationship with the whales evolved against a context of growing public opposition to their captivity.

During her time at the facility, seven belugas and the park’s single orca, the orca, died. In all, nineteen belugas have perished at the park since recent years, a statistic which the facility ascribes to expected lifespan, but which campaigners say points to the poor conditions in which they were maintained.

The facility did not admit visitors to the guests over the summer, but Burgess says she saw with her own eyes consequences of the shutdown. “Structural materials is breaking off from the tanks because they’re in disrepair and not being repaired. The whales are curious and so they pick it up and swim around with pieces in their mouth. It’s upsetting to see.”

The park did not reply to a questionnaire, but previously claimed: “The whales … receive far better veterinary services and 24/7 care than any human in the Britain, or other places.”

Uncertain Future and Potential Resolutions

Burgess was fired from the park in recent months following the death of Eos, an sick beluga the employees had to put down. She said the facility thought information of the incident were disclosed to the news outlets and she was released soon after.

The lack of clarity over the whales’ future has left Burgess and current and former trainers in anguish. She says the park’s threat to kill its whales is a leverage tool and is a “extremely difficult” task, adding any efforts to humanely kill even a one beluga would require “significant manpower”, trucks and specialized tools.

“It cannot happen in hell the caretakers would ever do it,” she said.

She supports demands for the whales to be transferred immediately from the park, with its deteriorating pools and dwindling staff.

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

“Allowing the application would have meant a perpetual life in enclosure and a reversion to public entertainment,” the minister wrote. “As Canadians, we know that whales should be in the ocean, not in tanks for our amusement. I could not in clear conscience authorize an transfer that would prolong the situation these belugas have endured.”

But the former trainer said the minister’s comments reflect a broader lack of awareness of the realities of life for belugas raised in confinement.

“The people needs to grasp these are whales that have existed solely in captivity and they will need ongoing assistance for the remainder of their lives,” she said. “Many just don’t comprehend that it’s not as easy as saying ‘shut it down’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Ongoing Debate

As authorities attempt to find a answer, proposals have been put forward, some of which have questionable practicality. An idea called for the belugas to be freed into the wilds of the Arctic – where whales are a key source of food for Indigenous peoples.

A proposed protected area in the province of eastern Canada, which has received regulatory clearance, has proven highly debated. The planned location, which includes 100 acres of protected cove, doesn’t yet exist. Advocates remain hopeful that it could eventually represent a sustainable resolution for a number of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among staff she’s spoken with, there is “no trust there” about what she said is “merely an trial” in the whales’ fate.

Different voices say the possibility of a protected habitat indicates a changing attitudes away from animal displays and could represent a viable plan in the near future.

The project lead, leader of the plan, said the site will replicate the intellectual stimulation and diet the whales receive from caretakers, albeit in a more expansive environment. He said after the well-being of whales is completely examined, which could take months|an extended period|