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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie is an charming small “sweetheart”. The whale Orion – nicknamed “Onion” – is a sizeable but very loyal friend. Zephyr has “endless energy” and wiggles like a wiggly creature. Lillooet the beluga is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a heart of gold.

A group of thirty captive marine mammals in a Canada-based entertainment facility have become pawns in a tussle between a defunct facility, local and national governments and animal rights activists.

But those closest to the whales say the intense debate over their fate often fails to consider the complexities of the whales who, after growing up in enclosed habitats, have been carefully observed by the caretakers who see them each day.

After the federal government disallowed the sale of the belugas to China, the embattled facility near the famous falls where they are housed threatened to euthanize them unless the authorities covers the expense of their survival. Canada’s fisheries minister has denied that ultimatum, placing the 30 whales in an dangerously unstable situation.

Highly Cognitive Marine Mammals

Researchers say that beluga whales’ neural makeup, along with their vocal imitation skills, problem solving and social skills point to they are highly cognitive creatures – something a former trainer observed personally.

Burgess spent three years as a whale caretaker, a position that required gaining confidence of the sea creatures.

“Developing those bonds over time takes a lot of regularity and a lot of care. At the outset, they’re very wary of you,” she said. “Over time, you gain mutual trust. And they start being more open with you. It’s just so magical and gratifying.”

Burgess knew the whales were very smart, but she says she was even so amazed by the subtleties and unique traits in their dispositions. She formed a particular love for a pair of whales with contrasting natures.

“One whale accepted me. Cleo required effort,” she said. “Both changed the way I perceive relationships.”

Public Concerns and Deteriorating Conditions

Burgess’s interaction with the whales developed against a context of increasing societal concern to their enclosure.

During her time at the attraction, multiple belugas and the park’s single orca, Kiska, died. In total, nineteen belugas have died at the park since 2019, a number which the park ascribes to age-related causes, but which activists say points to the substandard environment in which they were kept.

The park did not operate to the visitors over the recent season, but the former trainer says she witnessed firsthand effects of the shutdown. “Structural materials is breaking off from the pools because they’re in disrepair and not being repaired. The whales are inquisitive and so they take pieces and swim around with fragments in their mouth. It’s upsetting to see.”

The facility did not respond to a inquiry, but in the past asserted: “The whales … get far higher quality health care and around the clock supervision than any person in the Britain, or other places.”

Fate in Limbo and Potential Resolutions

Burgess was dismissed from the park in recent months following the demise of Eos, an ailing beluga the park staff had to humanely kill. She said the facility believed particulars of the death were leaked to the press and she was let go soon after.

The ambiguity over the whales’ future has left Burgess and other caretakers in distress. She says the park’s threat to end the lives of its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “logistically impossible” undertaking, adding any efforts to humanely kill even a single beluga would require “considerable staff”, trucks and machinery.

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

She backs requests for the whales to be transferred promptly from the park, with its crumbling tanks and dwindling staff.

In late September, Canada’s fisheries minister rejected a request to transfer the whales to China.

“Granting the proposal would have meant a ongoing existence in enclosure and a return to public entertainment,” the official wrote. “As the public, we know that marine mammals are meant for the sea, not in pools for our amusement. I could not in clear conscience authorize an transfer that would perpetuate the conditions these belugas have endured.”

But Burgess said the minister’s comments reflect a more general misunderstanding of the realities of life for belugas born in captivity.

“The public needs to grasp these are whales that have existed solely in captivity and they will need human care for the remainder of their lives,” she said. “The public just don’t realize that it’s not as straightforward as saying ‘end operations’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Continuing Discussion

As authorities work to find a solution, ideas have been put forward, some of which have questionable practicality. A suggested plan called for the belugas to be let go into the natural habitat of northern regions – where whales are a primary resource of sustenance for local populations.

A suggested sanctuary in the region of eastern Canada, which has received official endorsement, has been most controversial. The prospective location, which includes 100 acres of enclosed sea water, remains undeveloped. Supporters remain hopeful that it could ultimately represent a long term resolution for eight of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among caretakers she’s consulted, there is “skepticism there” about what she said is “merely an trial” in the whales’ fate.

Others say the prospect of a protected habitat reflects a changing attitudes away from animal displays and could represent a viable approach in the coming months.

Charles Vinick, director of the sanctuary project, said the site will simulate the mental engagement and diet the whales get from specialists, albeit in a significantly bigger environment. He said after the health of whales is completely examined, which could take months|an extended period|