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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie is an adorable small “ham sandwich”. Orion – called “Onion” – is a big but guardian-like friend. Zephyr has “endless energy” and wiggles like a wiggly creature. Lillooet the beluga is the “loving presence” with a kind nature.

Thirty captive marine mammals in a Canadian amusement park have been entangled in a tussle between a defunct facility, public officials and animal rights activists.

But those working directly with the whales say the impassioned discussion over their destiny often ignores the nuances of the whales who, after living their entire lives in enclosed habitats, have been thoroughly researched by the people who see them each day.

After the Canadian government disallowed the transfer of the belugas to a foreign facility, the controversial amusement park near the famous falls where they are held threatened to end their lives unless the authorities pays for the cost of their survival. The nation’s fisheries minister has refused that ultimatum, placing the 30 whales in an increasingly precarious position.

Highly Cognitive Marine Mammals

Researchers say that beluga whales’ brain structure, along with their sound replication, problem solving and group interactions point to they are remarkably smart creatures – something one caretaker discovered directly.

She spent three years as a whale caretaker, a job that required earning the trust of the sea creatures.

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

Burgess knew the whales were very smart, but she says she was nonetheless surprised by the subtleties and idiosyncrasies in their dispositions. She cultivated a deep bond for a pair of whales with contrasting temperaments.

“One whale chose me. Cleo required effort,” she said. “They altered the way I view connection.”

Growing Opposition and Facility Decline

Her relationship with the whales developed against a context of growing public opposition to their confinement.

During her time at the attraction, multiple belugas and the park’s one killer whale, the orca, died. In all, 19 belugas have died at the park since 2019, a toll which the facility ascribes to natural mortality, but which activists say reflects the inadequate care in which they were kept.

The park did not operate to the public over the recent season, but the former trainer says she witnessed firsthand results 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 take pieces and swim around with pieces in their mouth. It’s distressing to see.”

The park did not reply to a inquiry, but earlier asserted: “The whales … receive far superior veterinary services and 24/7 supervision than any individual in the UK, or elsewhere.”

Uncertain Future and Potential Resolutions

The former employee was fired from the facility in the spring following the passing of a beluga, an sick beluga the park staff had to euthanize. She said the park thought particulars of the death were leaked to the news outlets and she was fired shortly thereafter.

The uncertainty over the whales’ fate has left her and other caretakers in anguish. She says the park’s ultimatum to kill its whales is a bargaining chip and is a “extremely difficult” undertaking, adding any efforts to humanely kill even a one beluga would require “considerable manpower”, vehicles and specialized tools.

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

Burgess backs calls for the whales to be removed right away from the facility, with its failing enclosures and reduced personnel.

In the autumn, Canada’s government official rejected a request to export the whales to an overseas location.

“To approve the request would have meant a perpetual existence in enclosure and a reversion to performance for audiences,” the official commented. “As Canadians, we know that belugas belong in the sea, not in pools for our amusement. I could not in good conscience authorize an export that would continue the conditions these belugas have endured.”

But Burgess said the minister’s statements reflect a broader misunderstanding of the realities of living conditions for belugas raised in confinement.

“The public needs to understand these are whales that have lived entirely in captivity and they will need constant supervision for the foreseeable future,” she said. “People just don’t comprehend that it’s not as simple as saying ‘end operations’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Continuing Discussion

As authorities struggle to find a resolution, suggestions have surfaced, some of which have minimal feasibility. A suggested plan called for the belugas to be freed into the wilds of the Arctic – where whales are a primary resource of sustenance for Indigenous peoples.

A suggested protected area in the province of Nova Scotia, which now received official endorsement, has shown to be contentious. The future location, which includes extensive space of enclosed sea water, remains undeveloped. Supporters remain optimistic that it could eventually represent a sustainable resolution for a number of the whales.

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

Some experts say the prospect of a protected habitat indicates a broader global shift away from animal displays and could represent a workable plan in the near future.

An official, director of the initiative, said the facility will mimic the intellectual stimulation and nutrition the whales receive from specialists, albeit in a more expansive environment. He said after the well-being of whales is completely examined, which could take months|an extended period|