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Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie is an charming small “playful character”. The whale Orion – nicknamed “Onion” – is a large but fiercely protective friend. Zephyr has “ants in his pants” and wiggles like a worm. Lillooet is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a kind nature.

A group of thirty captive marine mammals in a Canadian amusement park have been entangled in a struggle between a defunct facility, government authorities and animal rights activists.

But those closest to the whales say the impassioned debate over their fate often ignores the complexities of the whales who, after growing up in confinement, have been closely studied by the people who interact with them daily.

After the national authorities prevented the transfer of the belugas to a foreign facility, the embattled amusement park near the famous falls where they are held threatened to end their lives unless the government funds the upkeep of their care. Canada’s fisheries minister has denied that demand, placing the thirty whales in an ever more uncertain situation.

Highly Cognitive Sea Creatures

Researchers say that beluga whales’ neural makeup, along with their sound replication, problem solving and group interactions point to they are remarkably smart mammals – something a former trainer observed first-hand.

She spent several years as a whale caretaker, a job that entailed earning the trust of the marine predators.

“Establishing those bonds over time takes a lot of regularity and a lot of love. At the start, they’re very unsure of you,” she said. “Over time, you gain reciprocal understanding. And they start being more open with you. It’s just so wonderful and rewarding.”

Burgess knew the whales were highly intelligent, but she says she was even so surprised by the subtleties and idiosyncrasies in their personalities. She developed a particular love for Eve and Cleopatra with opposing natures.

“One whale accepted me. Cleo demanded work,” she said. “Each changed the way I perceive connection.”

Growing Opposition and Facility Decline

Her interaction 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 one killer whale, Kiska, succumbed. In all, 19 belugas have died at the park since 2019, a number which the park links to expected lifespan, but which campaigners say points to the inadequate care in which they were housed.

The facility did not admit visitors to the public over the recent season, but the former trainer says she witnessed firsthand effects of the closure. “Concrete is falling apart from the enclosures because they’re falling apart and not being repaired. The whales are curious and so they take pieces and navigate with pieces in their jaws. It’s upsetting to see.”

The facility did not respond to a questionnaire, but earlier asserted: “The whales … obtain far superior veterinary services and 24/7 care than any human in the UK, or elsewhere.”

Uncertain Future and Potential Resolutions

Burgess was terminated from the facility in recent months following the death of a beluga, an ailing beluga the park staff had to put down. She said the park believed information 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 staff members in distress. She says the facility’s ultimatum to end the lives of its whales is a bargaining chip and is a “extremely difficult” task, adding any attempts to humanely kill even a single beluga would require “immense manpower”, equipment and specialized tools.

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

She advocates for demands for the whales to be removed right away from the park, with its deteriorating pools and reduced personnel.

In recent months, the nation’s fisheries minister denied a bid to export the whales to China.

“To approve the application would have meant a ongoing life in confinement and a reversion to public entertainment,” the official commented. “As the public, we know that marine mammals belong in the ocean, not in tanks for our amusement. I could not in good conscience authorize an transfer that would perpetuate the conditions these belugas have suffered.”

But Burgess said the minister’s statements reflect a wider incorrect perception of the facts of living conditions for belugas living their whole lives in enclosures.

“The people needs to grasp these are whales that have lived entirely in enclosed habitats and they will need ongoing assistance for the remainder of their lives,” she said. “People just don’t comprehend that it’s not as easy as saying ‘shut it down’.”

Alternative Habitat and Continuing Discussion

As decision makers attempt to find a solution, suggestions have been put forward, some of which have questionable practicality. An idea called for the belugas to be released into the natural habitat of northern regions – where whales are a key source of sustenance for Indigenous peoples.

A proposed refuge in the province of eastern Canada, which now received government approval, has proven most controversial. The planned site, which includes extensive space of enclosed sea water, is not yet built. Proponents remain hopeful that it could ultimately represent a sustainable resolution for some 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 untested concept” in the whales’ well-being.

Some experts say the possibility of a refuge represents a broader global shift away from animal displays and could represent a viable approach in the near future.

Charles Vinick, head of the sanctuary project, said the location will simulate the mental engagement and feeding regimen the whales receive from caretakers, albeit in a much larger environment. He said after the medical condition of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|