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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie is an charming little “ham sandwich”. Orion – called “Onion” – is a sizeable but very loyal companion. Another whale, Zephyr has “endless energy” and moves like a worm. Lillooet the beluga is the “most affectionate” with a gentle spirit.

Thirty captive marine mammals in a Canadian entertainment facility have been caught in a struggle between a shuttered park, public officials and animal rights activists.

But those most familiar with the whales say the heated controversy over their future often ignores the nuances of the whales who, after growing up in captivity, have been carefully observed by the people who see them each day.

After the Canadian government blocked the export of the belugas to China, the struggling amusement park near the famous falls where they are kept threatened to put them down unless the government covers the cost of their care. Canada’s fisheries minister has refused that demand, placing the 30 whales in an dangerously unstable circumstance.

Intelligent Marine Mammals

Scientists say that beluga whales’ neuroanatomy, along with their vocal imitation skills, cognitive challenges and group interactions suggest they are highly cognitive mammals – something Kristy Burgess observed directly.

She spent a significant period as a whale caretaker, a position that involved building relationships of the marine predators.

“Developing those connections over time takes a lot of regularity and a lot of affection. At the beginning, they’re very unsure of you,” she said. “Over time, you gain mutual trust. And they start being more vulnerable with you. It’s just so magical and gratifying.”

The trainer knew the whales were exceptionally cognitive, but she says she was nonetheless surprised by the details and unique traits in their personalities. She developed a special affection for two female belugas with opposing natures.

“Eve chose me. Cleo made me earn it,” she said. “Both altered the way I perceive bonding.”

Public Concerns and Deteriorating Conditions

Her relationship with the whales progressed against a background of increasing societal concern to their captivity.

During her three years at the facility, seven belugas and the park’s single killer whale, Kiska, succumbed. In all, 19 belugas have perished at the park since 2019, a statistic which the park attributes to age-related causes, but which activists say indicates the substandard environment in which they were kept.

The park did not open to the visitors over the summer, but the former trainer says she saw with her own eyes effects of the closure. “Concrete is deteriorating from the enclosures because they’re in disrepair and not being repaired. The whales are curious and so they pick it up and move about with chunks in their jaws. It’s distressing to see.”

The park did not comment to a request for comment, but earlier stated: “The whales … receive far higher quality veterinary services and 24/7 attention than any individual in the UK, or elsewhere.”

Uncertain Future and Potential Resolutions

Burgess was fired from the park in recent months following the death of Eos, an unwell beluga the employees had to euthanize. She said the park believed details of the death were disclosed to the news outlets and she was fired soon after.

The uncertainty over the whales’ fate has left her and current and former trainers in anguish. She says the park’s threat to end the lives of its whales is a leverage tool and is a “logistically impossible” undertaking, adding any attempts to euthanize even a individual beluga would require “considerable staff”, equipment and specialized tools.

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

She advocates for demands for the whales to be taken right away from the park, with its deteriorating pools and shrinking team.

In the autumn, the nation’s government official denied a proposal to transfer the whales to China.

“Allowing the application would have meant a ongoing existence in enclosure and a reversion to public entertainment,” the minister stated. “As the public, we know that whales are meant for the ocean, not in enclosures for our enjoyment. I could not in good conscience approve an relocation that would continue the conditions these belugas have experienced.”

But Burgess said the minister’s remarks reflect a broader misunderstanding of the circumstances of life for belugas living their whole lives in enclosures.

“The society needs to grasp these are whales that have existed solely in enclosed habitats and they will need ongoing assistance for the foreseeable future,” she said. “Many just don’t realize that it’s not as straightforward as saying ‘end operations’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Continuing Discussion

As authorities struggle to find a solution, proposals have been put forward, some of which have questionable practicality. An idea called for the belugas to be let go into the wilds of the Arctic – where whales are a key source of nourishment for local populations.

A proposed protected area in the province of eastern Canada, which now received official endorsement, has proven most controversial. The future facility, which includes 100 acres of protected cove, doesn’t yet exist. Proponents remain hopeful that it could eventually represent a sustainable resolution for a number of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among staff she’s spoken with, there is “doubts there” about what she said is “only an experiment” in the whales’ fate.

Others say the possibility of a sanctuary represents a changing attitudes away from captive facilities and could represent a workable solution in the near future.

An official, head of the plan, said the location will simulate the cognitive activities and feeding regimen the whales receive from caretakers, albeit in a significantly bigger space. He said after the health of whales is completely examined, which could take months|an extended period|