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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie Botts is an charming little “ham sandwich”. The whale Orion – nicknamed “Onion Ring” – is a sizeable but guardian-like friend. Another whale, Zephyr has “ants in his pants” and wiggles like a worm. Lillooet the beluga is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a gentle spirit.

A group of thirty captive marine mammals 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 impassioned debate over their destiny often ignores the nuances of the whales who, after spending their lives in enclosed habitats, have been closely studied by the people who interact with them daily.

After the federal government disallowed the export of the belugas to a foreign facility, the embattled attraction near Niagara Falls where they are held warned to put them down unless the government pays for the upkeep of keeping them alive. Canada’s fisheries minister has denied that ultimatum, placing the 30 whales in an increasingly precarious position.

Intelligent Marine Mammals

Experts say that belugas’ neural makeup, along with their vocal imitation skills, problem solving and communal behavior point to they are highly cognitive creatures – something a former trainer discovered first-hand.

She spent a significant period as a beluga trainer, a job that involved gaining confidence of the marine predators.

“Building up those bonds over time takes a lot of consistency and a lot of love. At the beginning, they’re very unsure of you,” she said. “In time, you gain reciprocal understanding. And they start being more vulnerable with you. It’s just so magical and gratifying.”

The trainer knew the whales were highly intelligent, but she says she was nevertheless astounded by the nuances and idiosyncrasies in their characters. She cultivated a deep bond for Eve and Cleopatra with different natures.

“Eve accepted me. Cleo required effort,” she said. “They changed the way I view bonding.”

Growing Opposition and Facility Decline

Her interaction with the whales evolved against a context of growing public opposition to their confinement.

During her tenure at the attraction, seven belugas and the park’s one killer whale, Kiska, passed away. In total, nineteen belugas have perished at the park since 2019, a number which the facility attributes to expected lifespan, but which advocates say points to the substandard environment in which they were housed.

The facility did not open to the public over the summer, but the former trainer says she witnessed firsthand consequences of the shutdown. “Structural materials is deteriorating from the pools because they’re in disrepair and not being fixed. The whales are exploratory and so they take pieces and move about with chunks in their jaws. It’s distressing to see.”

The facility did not reply to a inquiry, but earlier asserted: “The whales … get far higher quality medical attention and constant care than any human in the UK, or other places.”

Fate in Limbo and Proposed Solutions

The former employee was fired from the facility in the spring following the demise of Eos, an unwell beluga the park staff had to euthanize. She said the park believed details of the death were leaked to the news outlets and she was fired not long after.

The ambiguity over the whales’ outcome has left her and other caretakers in anguish. She says the park’s threat to euthanize its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “logistically impossible” undertaking, adding any plans to put down even a one beluga would require “immense personnel”, equipment and specialized tools.

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

She backs demands for the whales to be transferred immediately from the facility, with its failing enclosures and reduced personnel.

In recent months, Canada’s government official denied a request to export the whales to China.

“Granting the application would have meant a continued life in confinement and a return to display for amusement,” the minister commented. “As the public, we know that belugas are meant for the sea, not in tanks for our amusement. I could not in clear conscience permit an transfer that would perpetuate the conditions these belugas have experienced.”

But Burgess said the minister’s statements reveal a wider incorrect perception of the realities of life for belugas born in captivity.

“The society needs to understand these are whales that have spent their whole lives in captivity and they will need human care for the rest of their years,” she said. “Many just don’t comprehend that it’s not as easy as saying ‘close it down’.”

Alternative Habitat and Continuing Discussion

As officials struggle to find a solution, proposals have been put forward, some of which have questionable practicality. An idea called for the belugas to be let go into the natural habitat of Canada’s north – where whales are a important part of food for local populations.

A proposed sanctuary in the province of Nova Scotia, which recently received regulatory clearance, has shown to be contentious. The prospective site, which includes a large area of penned in ocean, is not yet built. Supporters remain positive that it could in time represent a sustainable answer for a number of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among caretakers she’s discussed with, there is “no trust there” about what she said is “merely an experiment” in the whales’ fate.

Others say the idea of a refuge represents a broader global shift away from captive facilities and could represent a feasible solution in the near future.

An official, leader of the sanctuary project, said the site will mimic the cognitive activities and feeding regimen the whales obtain from caretakers, albeit in a more expansive environment. He said after the health of whales is fully assessed, which could take months|an extended period|