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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie is an adorable small “ham sandwich”. The whale Orion – called “Onion” – is a big but very loyal companion. Another whale, Zephyr has “constant motion” and moves like a wiggly creature. Lillooet the beluga is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a kind nature.

A group of thirty enclosed marine mammals in a Canada-based entertainment facility have become pawns in a disagreement between a defunct facility, government authorities and advocacy groups.

But those most familiar with the whales say the impassioned debate over their future often fails to consider the nuances of the whales who, after spending their lives in enclosed habitats, have been thoroughly researched by the people who work with them regularly.

After the national authorities blocked the export of the belugas to China, the embattled amusement park near the famous falls where they are housed warned to put them down unless the government pays for the cost of their survival. The nation’s fisheries minister has rejected that request, placing the 30 whales in an dangerously unstable situation.

Highly Cognitive Marine Mammals

Researchers say that beluga whales’ neuroanatomy, along with their sound replication, intellectual tasks and social skills indicate they are deeply intelligent mammals – something one caretaker discovered directly.

Burgess spent three years as a beluga trainer, a job that entailed earning the trust of the sea creatures.

“Building up those bonds over time takes a lot of consistency and a lot of care. At the start, they’re very cautious of you,” she said. “Over time, you gain shared confidence. And they start being more open with you. It’s just so wonderful and fulfilling.”

The trainer knew the whales were very smart, but she says she was nevertheless surprised by the nuances and quirks in their personalities. She formed a particular love for Eve and Cleopatra with contrasting personalities.

“Eve chose me. The other demanded work,” she said. “They changed the way I view bonding.”

Growing Opposition and Deteriorating Conditions

Her connection with the whales evolved against a context of rising activist criticism to their enclosure.

During her time at the attraction, seven belugas and the park’s one killer whale, the orca, succumbed. In total, 19 belugas have perished at the park since 2019, a statistic which the park attributes to age-related causes, but which campaigners say reflects the poor conditions in which they were housed.

The facility did not open to the public over the summer, but Burgess says she witnessed firsthand results of the shutdown. “Concrete is deteriorating from the tanks because they’re falling apart and not being repaired. The whales are exploratory and so they pick it up and navigate with fragments in their mouth. It’s upsetting to see.”

The park did not comment to a inquiry, but in the past asserted: “The whales … receive far better health care and around the clock supervision than any human in the Britain, or elsewhere.”

Uncertain Future and Potential Resolutions

The former employee was terminated from the facility in early March following the death of a beluga, an ailing beluga the employees had to humanely kill. She said the park believed particulars of the incident were leaked to the media and she was let go shortly thereafter.

The uncertainty over the whales’ fate has left her and other caretakers in anguish. She says the facility’s threat to end the lives of its whales is a bargaining chip and is a “practically unfeasible” undertaking, adding any plans to euthanize even a individual beluga would require “considerable manpower”, trucks and specialized tools.

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

She backs calls for the whales to be taken right away from the park, with its crumbling tanks and shrinking team.

In recent months, the nation’s government official denied a request to export the whales to an overseas location.

“To approve the application would have meant a ongoing situation in confinement and a return to public entertainment,” the minister stated. “As society, we know that whales should be in the wild, not in pools for our amusement. I could not in ethical standing approve an transfer that would continue the situation these belugas have suffered.”

But the former trainer said the minister’s statements reveal a more general incorrect perception of the realities of living conditions for belugas raised in confinement.

“The society needs to grasp these are whales that have existed solely in captivity and they will need human care for the foreseeable future,” she said. “People just don’t understand that it’s not as easy as saying ‘close it down’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Ongoing Debate

As officials attempt to find a solution, ideas have been put forward, some of which have little basis in reality. One proposal called for the belugas to be freed into the open waters of the Arctic – where whales are a important part of food for local populations.

A proposed sanctuary in the province of eastern Canada, which now received official endorsement, has been contentious. The planned site, which includes a large area of protected cove, remains undeveloped. Supporters remain positive that it could eventually represent a permanent answer for eight of the whales.

But, the former trainer 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 prospect of a refuge indicates a worldwide trend away from zoos and aquariums and could represent a viable solution in the coming months.

Charles Vinick, director of the plan, said the facility will mimic the cognitive activities and feeding regimen the whales receive from specialists, albeit in a more expansive space. He said after the health of whales is completely examined, which could take months|an extended period|