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Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie is an charming little “ham sandwich”. Orion – called “Onion Ring” – is a big but very loyal friend. Another whale, Zephyr has “endless energy” and wiggles like a wiggly creature. Lillooet the beluga is the “loving presence” with a gentle spirit.

A group of thirty captive marine mammals in a Canada-based amusement park have been entangled in a disagreement between a closed attraction, local and national governments and advocacy groups.

But those closest to 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 carefully observed by the humans who work with them regularly.

After the national authorities blocked the sale of the belugas to China, the embattled amusement park near the famous falls where they are housed stated it would consider to put them down unless the government pays for the expense of their survival. Canada’s marine resources official has refused that demand, placing the 30 whales in an increasingly precarious situation.

Intelligent Marine Mammals

Scientists say that beluga whales’ neuroanatomy, along with their sound replication, problem solving and communal behavior indicate they are highly cognitive animals – something a former trainer discovered first-hand.

Burgess spent three years as a marine mammal specialist, a role that required earning the trust of the marine predators.

“Developing those relationships over time takes a lot of regularity 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 vulnerable 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 idiosyncrasies in their dispositions. She developed a deep bond for two female belugas with contrasting temperaments.

“Eve accepted me. Cleo demanded work,” she said. “They changed the way I view connection.”

Growing Opposition and Facility Decline

Burgess’s relationship with the whales progressed against a context of increasing societal concern to their confinement.

During her time at the attraction, seven belugas and the park’s single orca, the orca, passed away. In all, nineteen belugas have died at the park since 2019, a statistic which the park ascribes to age-related causes, but which activists say indicates the substandard environment in which they were maintained.

The park did not operate to the guests over the summer, but Burgess says she saw with her own eyes results of the closure. “Concrete is breaking off from the pools because they’re falling apart and not being repaired. The whales are exploratory and so they grab fragments and navigate with pieces in their mouth. It’s upsetting to see.”

The facility did not comment to a inquiry, but earlier stated: “The whales … obtain far superior veterinary services and around the clock care than any person in the Britain, or other places.”

Fate in Limbo and Potential Resolutions

Burgess was dismissed from the facility in early March following the death of a beluga, an ailing beluga the park staff had to put down. She said the park suspected particulars of the incident were shared to the press and she was let go shortly thereafter.

The lack of clarity over the whales’ fate has left Burgess and other caretakers in despair. She says the park’s threat to euthanize its whales is a bargaining chip and is a “extremely difficult” task, adding any attempts to humanely kill even a single beluga would require “considerable personnel”, equipment and specialized tools.

“It’s impossible in hell the employees would ever do it,” she said.

Burgess advocates for requests for the whales to be taken right away from the facility, with its failing enclosures and reduced personnel.

In late September, the nation’s fisheries minister turned down a bid to transfer the whales to China.

“Allowing the application would have meant a perpetual life in enclosure and a return to public entertainment,” the minister stated. “As society, we know that marine mammals should be in the ocean, not in pools for our enjoyment. I could not in good conscience authorize an relocation that would perpetuate the treatment these belugas have suffered.”

But the former trainer said the official’s comments reflect a broader misunderstanding of the circumstances of life for belugas born in captivity.

“The public needs to grasp these are whales that have existed solely 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 ‘close it down’.”

Alternative Habitat and Ongoing Debate

As decision makers struggle to find a solution, ideas have emerged, some of which have questionable practicality. An idea 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 proposed sanctuary in the region of eastern Canada, which now received regulatory clearance, has shown to be most controversial. The future site, which includes a large area of enclosed sea water, remains undeveloped. Proponents remain hopeful that it could ultimately represent a permanent resolution for a number of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among staff she’s consulted, there is “no trust there” about what she said is “merely an experiment” in the whales’ well-being.

Others say the prospect of a refuge indicates a worldwide trend away from zoos and aquariums and could represent a viable plan in the near future.

An official, director of the initiative, said the facility will replicate the cognitive activities and feeding regimen the whales obtain from trainers, albeit in a much larger space. He said after the health of whales is completely examined, which could take months|an extended period|