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Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie Botts is an charming small “playful character”. Orion – called “Onion Ring” – is a big but fiercely protective companion. Another whale, Zephyr has “ants in his pants” and wiggles like a wiggly creature. Lillooet the beluga is the “most affectionate” with a heart of gold.

Thirty captive marine mammals in a Canadian entertainment facility have been caught in a disagreement between a defunct facility, government authorities and advocacy groups.

But those working directly with the whales say the heated controversy over their future often ignores the individual traits of the whales who, after growing up in enclosed habitats, have been carefully observed by the humans who see them each day.

After the Canadian government blocked the sale of the belugas to a foreign facility, the controversial attraction near the famous falls where they are kept threatened to put them down unless the authorities covers the expense of keeping them alive. The nation’s fisheries minister has refused that request, placing the thirty whales in an dangerously unstable position.

Intelligent Marine Mammals

Scientists say that belugas’ neuroanatomy, along with their vocal imitation skills, cognitive challenges and communal behavior point to they are highly cognitive animals – something Kristy Burgess observed personally.

Burgess spent a significant period as a marine mammal specialist, a job that entailed earning the trust of the marine predators.

“Establishing those connections over time takes a lot of consistency and a lot of care. At the start, they’re very wary of you,” she said. “Eventually, you gain shared confidence. And they start being more open with you. It’s just so extraordinary and rewarding.”

Burgess knew the whales were very smart, but she says she was nonetheless surprised by the details and unique traits in their dispositions. She formed a special affection for two female belugas with contrasting personalities.

“Eve accepted me. Cleo demanded work,” she said. “Both changed the way I understand relationships.”

Growing Opposition and Deteriorating Conditions

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

During her time at the facility, multiple belugas and the park’s single killer whale, Kiska, died. In all, 19 belugas have perished at the park since 2019, a toll which the facility ascribes to age-related causes, but which activists say indicates the poor conditions in which they were maintained.

The park did not admit visitors to the visitors over the recent season, but Burgess says she saw with her own eyes consequences of the closure. “Structural materials is breaking off from the pools because they’re falling apart and not being maintained. The whales are inquisitive and so they grab fragments and navigate with pieces in their mouth. It’s distressing to see.”

The park did not comment to a questionnaire, but earlier stated: “The whales … obtain far better veterinary services and around the clock supervision than any person in the United Kingdom, or other places.”

Fate in Limbo and Potential Resolutions

Burgess was dismissed from the park in early March following the passing of Eos, an unwell beluga the caretakers had to put down. She said the park suspected particulars of the death were shared to the press and she was let go soon after.

The uncertainty over the whales’ fate has left Burgess and staff members in anguish. She says the facility’s threat to end the lives of its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “practically unfeasible” undertaking, adding any attempts to humanely kill even a individual beluga would require “considerable personnel”, equipment and heavy equipment.

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

She backs calls for the whales to be removed right away from the park, with its crumbling tanks and dwindling staff.

In late September, Canada’s government official rejected a request to transfer the whales to an overseas location.

“Granting the proposal would have meant a ongoing existence in confinement and a reversion to public entertainment,” the minister stated. “As society, we know that whales belong in the ocean, not in tanks for our entertainment. I could not in clear conscience permit an export that would continue the conditions these belugas have suffered.”

But Burgess said the minister’s comments reflect a wider incorrect perception of the circumstances of life for belugas raised in confinement.

“The society needs to understand these are whales that have lived entirely in confinement and they will need constant supervision for the remainder of their lives,” she said. “Many just don’t understand that it’s not as easy as saying ‘shut it down’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Ongoing Debate

As officials attempt to find a resolution, suggestions have been put forward, some of which have little basis in reality. One proposal called for the belugas to be released into the open waters of the Arctic – where whales are a key source of sustenance for Inuit communities.

A proposed protected area in the region of Nova Scotia, which recently received government approval, has proven contentious. The planned location, which includes a large area of protected cove, is not yet built. Proponents remain optimistic that it could in time represent a sustainable solution for some of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among trainers she’s consulted, there is “skepticism there” about what she said is “simply an trial” in the whales’ future.

Some experts say the idea of a protected habitat represents a changing attitudes away from zoos and aquariums and could represent a workable solution in the near future.

Charles Vinick, director of the initiative, said the facility will mimic the mental engagement and diet the whales receive from caretakers, albeit in a much larger environment. He said after the well-being of whales is completely examined, which could take months|an extended period|