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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie is an cute little “ham sandwich”. Orion – called “Onion” – is a sizeable but very loyal friend. Zephyr has “ants in his pants” and sways like a worm. Lillooet is the “most affectionate” with a heart of gold.

Thirty enclosed marine mammals in a Canada-based amusement park have been entangled in a struggle between a shuttered park, local and national governments and advocacy groups.

But those closest to the whales say the heated controversy over their future often fails to consider the nuances of the whales who, after spending their lives in confinement, have been closely studied by the caretakers who see them each day.

After the federal government blocked the export of the belugas to China, the embattled facility near the famous falls where they are kept stated it would consider to put them down unless the authorities covers the cost of their survival. Canada’s fisheries minister has rejected that demand, placing the 30 whales in an dangerously unstable circumstance.

Intelligent Marine Mammals

Experts say that beluga whales’ brain structure, along with their mimicry abilities, cognitive challenges and social skills suggest they are highly cognitive creatures – something a former trainer learned directly.

Burgess spent a significant period as a marine mammal specialist, a job that required earning the trust of the aquatic animals.

“Developing those relationships over time takes a lot of regularity and a lot of love. At the beginning, they’re very unsure of you,” she said. “In time, you gain shared confidence. And they start being more trusting with you. It’s just so magical and rewarding.”

The trainer knew the whales were very smart, but she says she was nonetheless amazed by the nuances and unique traits in their dispositions. She developed a deep bond for Eve and Cleopatra with opposing temperaments.

“One whale chose me. The other required effort,” she said. “They transformed the way I perceive relationships.”

Growing Opposition and Facility Decline

Burgess’s interaction with the whales evolved against a backdrop of growing public opposition to their confinement.

During her three years at the park, multiple belugas and the park’s one killer whale, Kiska, succumbed. In all, 19 belugas have perished at the park since 2019, a statistic which the park links to expected lifespan, but which activists say reflects the substandard environment in which they were kept.

The park did not operate to the guests over the recent season, but Burgess says she saw with her own eyes effects of the cessation. “Structural materials is breaking off from the tanks because they’re in disrepair and not being maintained. The whales are exploratory and so they take pieces and navigate with pieces in their jaws. It’s heartbreaking to see.”

The facility did not respond to a questionnaire, but earlier claimed: “The whales … get far superior health care and constant supervision than any individual in the UK, or other places.”

Fate in Limbo and Proposed Solutions

Burgess was terminated from the park in early March following the death of Eos, an sick beluga the park staff had to humanely kill. She said the facility suspected details of the death were disclosed to the press and she was fired shortly thereafter.

The uncertainty over the whales’ future has left her and other caretakers in anguish. She says the facility’s warning to euthanize its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “logistically impossible” task, adding any plans to euthanize even a one beluga would require “considerable manpower”, equipment and heavy equipment.

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

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

In the autumn, Canada’s government official rejected a bid to transfer the whales to China.

“Allowing the proposal would have meant a perpetual existence in enclosure and a return to public entertainment,” the minister commented. “As the public, we know that marine mammals are meant for the ocean, not in enclosures for our entertainment. I could not in clear conscience permit an export that would prolong the situation these belugas have suffered.”

But the former trainer said the official’s statements 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. “People just don’t understand that it’s not as simple as saying ‘shut it down’.”

Alternative Habitat and Ongoing Debate

As decision makers struggle to find a solution, suggestions have been put forward, some of which have little basis in reality. One proposal called for the belugas to be let go into the wilds of Canada’s north – where whales are a key source of food for local populations.

A suggested sanctuary in the province of Nova Scotia, which now received government approval, has been highly debated. The prospective facility, which includes 100 acres of protected cove, remains undeveloped. Proponents remain hopeful that it could eventually represent a sustainable answer for some of the whales.

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

Others say the prospect of a sanctuary reflects a broader global shift away from animal displays and could represent a workable solution in the coming months.

An official, leader of the sanctuary project, said the site will simulate the mental engagement and nutrition the whales obtain from specialists, albeit in a much larger area. He said after the well-being of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|