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Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie is an cute small “sweetheart”. The whale Orion – called “Onion” – is a big but guardian-like friend. Another whale, Zephyr has “endless energy” and sways like a wiggly creature. Lillooet is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a gentle spirit.

A group of thirty captive beluga whales in a Canadian amusement park have been caught in a tussle between a defunct facility, public officials and advocacy groups.

But those most familiar with the whales say the impassioned debate over their future often ignores the individual traits of the whales who, after living their entire lives in captivity, have been closely studied by the humans who interact with them daily.

After the federal government blocked the export of the belugas to a foreign facility, the embattled amusement park near the famous falls where they are kept warned to end their lives unless the authorities pays for the upkeep of keeping them alive. The nation’s fisheries minister has refused that demand, placing the thirty whales in an ever more uncertain position.

Intelligent Sea Creatures

Researchers say that belugas’ neural makeup, along with their vocal imitation skills, problem solving and communal behavior indicate they are highly cognitive animals – something a former trainer learned first-hand.

She spent several years as a whale caretaker, a role that involved building relationships of the sea creatures.

“Establishing those connections over time takes a lot of regularity and a lot of love. At the outset, they’re very cautious of you,” she said. “Eventually, you gain mutual trust. And they start being more open with you. It’s just so wonderful and fulfilling.”

The trainer knew the whales were exceptionally cognitive, but she says she was nonetheless surprised by the subtleties and idiosyncrasies in their personalities. She developed a particular love for two female belugas with contrasting temperaments.

“Eve accepted me. The other made me earn it,” she said. “Both transformed the way I perceive connection.”

Public Concerns and Facility Decline

Her interaction with the whales evolved against a context of increasing societal concern to their enclosure.

During her tenure at the park, multiple belugas and the park’s single orca, Kiska, succumbed. In total, 19 belugas have died at the park since 2019, a statistic which the facility links to expected lifespan, but which advocates say points to the inadequate care in which they were maintained.

The park did not open to the guests over the summer, but Burgess says she witnessed firsthand results of the shutdown. “Structural materials 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 move about with chunks in their mouth. It’s distressing to see.”

The park did not respond to a inquiry, but previously stated: “The whales … obtain far superior veterinary services and 24/7 supervision than any human in the Britain, or anywhere else.”

Fate in Limbo and Proposed Solutions

Burgess was fired from the facility in early March following the demise of a beluga, an ailing beluga the caretakers had to humanely kill. She said the park thought details of the incident were leaked to the press and she was fired not long after.

The uncertainty over the whales’ future has left Burgess and current and former trainers in anguish. She says the facility’s ultimatum to euthanize its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “practically unfeasible” undertaking, adding any plans to euthanize even a one beluga would require “considerable staff”, equipment and specialized tools.

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

Burgess backs requests for the whales to be taken immediately from the facility, with its failing enclosures and dwindling staff.

In late September, the nation’s government official turned down a request to transfer the whales to China.

“Granting the application would have meant a ongoing life in enclosure and a reversion to display for amusement,” the official commented. “As Canadians, we know that marine mammals are meant for the wild, not in pools for our enjoyment. I could not in ethical standing permit an transfer that would continue the treatment these belugas have endured.”

But the former trainer said the minister’s statements reveal a more general incorrect perception of the circumstances of life for belugas born in captivity.

“The people needs to grasp these are whales that have lived entirely in enclosed habitats and they will need constant supervision for the remainder of their lives,” she said. “The public just don’t realize that it’s not as easy as saying ‘end operations’.”

Alternative Habitat and Ongoing Debate

As officials struggle to find a answer, suggestions have emerged, some of which have questionable practicality. One proposal called for the belugas to be let go into the natural habitat of northern regions – where whales are a key source of nourishment for local populations.

A proposed refuge in the province of eastern Canada, which recently received regulatory clearance, has been contentious. The planned location, which includes 100 acres of enclosed sea water, doesn’t yet exist. Proponents remain positive that it could eventually represent a permanent answer for eight of the whales.

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

Different voices say the prospect of a protected habitat represents a changing attitudes away from zoos and aquariums and could represent a viable plan in the short term.

The project lead, director of the initiative, said the facility will simulate the mental engagement and feeding regimen the whales obtain from caretakers, albeit in a much larger space. He said after the health of whales is completely examined, which could take months|an extended period|