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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie is an adorable small “ham sandwich”. Orion – called “Onion Ring” – is a large but guardian-like friend. Another whale, Zephyr has “constant motion” and moves like a worm. Lillooet the beluga is the “most affectionate” with a kind nature.

Thirty enclosed marine mammals in a Canada-based amusement park have been caught in a tussle between a shuttered park, public officials and animal rights activists.

But those working directly with the whales say the impassioned discussion over their fate often ignores the complexities of the whales who, after spending their lives in enclosed habitats, have been closely studied by the caretakers who interact with them daily.

After the national authorities blocked the transfer of the belugas to a foreign facility, the struggling amusement park near the famous falls where they are housed warned to put them down unless the government pays for the cost of keeping them alive. Canada’s marine resources official has denied that ultimatum, placing the 30 whales in an ever more uncertain situation.

Intelligent Sea Creatures

Researchers say that beluga whales’ neuroanatomy, along with their sound replication, intellectual tasks and social skills indicate they are remarkably smart mammals – something a former trainer discovered directly.

Burgess spent three years as a whale caretaker, a position that entailed earning the trust of the sea creatures.

“Establishing those bonds over time takes a lot of dedication and a lot of love. At the outset, they’re very wary of you,” she said. “In time, you gain reciprocal understanding. And they start being more open with you. It’s just so magical and fulfilling.”

Burgess knew the whales were exceptionally cognitive, but she says she was even so amazed by the details and unique traits in their characters. She formed a special affection for Eve and Cleopatra with different personalities.

“One whale selected me. Cleo demanded work,” she said. “Each transformed the way I view relationships.”

Public Concerns and Facility Decline

Burgess’s relationship with the whales developed against a background of growing public opposition to their confinement.

During her three years at the attraction, seven belugas and the park’s one orca, Kiska, passed away. In all, 19 belugas have died at the park since 2019, a statistic which the facility attributes to age-related causes, but which activists say reflects the poor conditions in which they were maintained.

The facility did not operate to the public over the recent season, but the former trainer says she observed directly effects of the closure. “Concrete is deteriorating from the pools because they’re falling apart and not being fixed. The whales are curious and so they grab fragments and move about with chunks in their mouth. It’s heartbreaking to see.”

The facility did not respond to a inquiry, but in the past stated: “The whales … get far better medical attention and 24/7 supervision than any individual in the United Kingdom, or anywhere else.”

Uncertain Future and Potential Resolutions

The former employee was fired from the facility in recent months following the passing of a beluga, an unwell beluga the caretakers had to euthanize. She said the facility thought information of the incident were shared to the media and she was fired not long after.

The lack of clarity over the whales’ future has left Burgess and staff members in distress. She says the facility’s ultimatum to end the lives of its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “extremely difficult” undertaking, adding any plans to euthanize even a one beluga would require “immense personnel”, trucks and heavy equipment.

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

Burgess backs demands for the whales to be removed promptly from the park, with its crumbling tanks and shrinking team.

In late September, Canada’s fisheries minister rejected a bid to export the whales to an overseas location.

“To approve the proposal would have meant a continued situation in captivity and a reversion to public entertainment,” the official commented. “As the public, we know that whales are meant for the sea, not in tanks for our amusement. I could not in clear conscience authorize an export that would perpetuate the conditions these belugas have experienced.”

But Burgess said the minister’s comments indicate a wider misunderstanding of the facts of life for belugas raised in confinement.

“The public needs to realize these are whales that have spent their whole lives in confinement and they will need ongoing assistance for the remainder of their lives,” she said. “Many just don’t understand that it’s not as straightforward as saying ‘shut it down’.”

Alternative Habitat and Ongoing Debate

As decision makers attempt to find a answer, proposals have been put forward, some of which have minimal feasibility. A suggested plan called for the belugas to be let go into the open waters of northern regions – where whales are a primary resource of nourishment for Indigenous peoples.

A planned sanctuary in the province of Nova Scotia, which now received government approval, has proven contentious. The future location, which includes extensive space of penned in ocean, doesn’t yet exist. Supporters remain hopeful that it could in time represent a permanent resolution for eight of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among caretakers she’s spoken with, there is “doubts there” about what she said is “only an experiment” in the whales’ future.

Different voices say the idea of a refuge reflects a broader global shift away from animal displays and could represent a workable plan in the coming months.

The project lead, head of the sanctuary project, said the location will simulate the cognitive activities and feeding regimen the whales get from specialists, albeit in a more expansive environment. He said after the medical condition of whales is completely examined, which could take months|an extended period|