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Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie is an adorable small “playful character”. Orion – called “Onion Ring” – is a large but very loyal companion. Zephyr has “ants in his pants” and moves like a wiggly creature. Lillooet the beluga is the “most affectionate” with a kind nature.

A group of thirty captive marine mammals in a Canadian amusement park have been caught in a struggle between a defunct facility, local and national governments and animal rights activists.

But those most familiar with the whales say the intense debate over their future often ignores the nuances of the whales who, after living their entire lives in enclosed habitats, have been thoroughly researched by the humans who work with them regularly.

After the Canadian government disallowed the transfer of the belugas to a foreign facility, the embattled attraction near the famous falls where they are kept threatened to put them down unless the federal government funds the upkeep of their survival. Canada’s fisheries minister has rejected that demand, placing the 30 whales in an increasingly precarious position.

Intelligent Sea Creatures

Researchers say that belugas’ brain structure, along with their vocal imitation skills, intellectual tasks and group interactions point to they are highly cognitive animals – something a former trainer learned personally.

Burgess spent three years as a beluga trainer, a position that entailed earning the trust of the marine predators.

“Developing those relationships over time takes a lot of dedication and a lot of love. At the beginning, they’re very wary of you,” she said. “Over time, you gain shared confidence. And they start being more vulnerable with you. It’s just so magical and rewarding.”

The trainer knew the whales were exceptionally cognitive, but she says she was nevertheless surprised by the subtleties and quirks in their characters. She cultivated a particular love for a pair of whales with different personalities.

“One whale chose me. Cleo demanded work,” she said. “Each transformed the way I view connection.”

Growing Opposition and Facility Decline

Her connection with the whales developed against a background of growing public opposition to their captivity.

During her time at the attraction, multiple belugas and the park’s single killer whale, Kiska, died. In total, nineteen belugas have perished at the park since 2019, a statistic which the facility links to age-related causes, but which advocates say indicates the inadequate care in which they were housed.

The park did not open to the public over the summer, but Burgess says she saw with her own eyes results of the closure. “Concrete is breaking off from the tanks because they’re degrading and not being fixed. The whales are exploratory and so they grab fragments and move about with fragments in their jaws. It’s heartbreaking to see.”

The facility did not comment to a request for comment, but earlier stated: “The whales … get far higher quality medical attention and around the clock care than any human in the Britain, or other places.”

Uncertain Future and Proposed Solutions

Burgess was dismissed from the park in the spring following the passing of a beluga, an unwell beluga the park staff had to euthanize. She said the park suspected details of the death were disclosed to the news outlets and she was let go not long after.

The uncertainty over the whales’ future has left Burgess and current and former trainers in anguish. She says the park’s warning to euthanize its whales is a leverage tool and is a “extremely difficult” task, adding any attempts to humanely kill even a individual beluga would require “immense staff”, vehicles and specialized tools.

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

She supports calls for the whales to be transferred immediately from the facility, with its failing enclosures and dwindling staff.

In the autumn, Canada’s government official denied a request to send the whales to China.

“Granting the application would have meant a ongoing situation in enclosure and a return to display for amusement,” the minister stated. “As the public, we know that marine mammals belong in the ocean, not in pools for our amusement. I could not in good conscience approve an export that would perpetuate the conditions these belugas have endured.”

But Burgess said the official’s comments reflect a wider incorrect perception of the facts of life for belugas living their whole lives in enclosures.

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

Sanctuary Proposal and Continuing Discussion

As authorities attempt to find a resolution, suggestions have emerged, some of which have minimal feasibility. One proposal called for the belugas to be freed into the open waters of northern regions – where whales are a key source of sustenance for local populations.

A suggested sanctuary in the region of eastern Canada, which has received official endorsement, has shown to be highly debated. The prospective location, which includes extensive space of protected cove, is not yet built. Advocates remain optimistic that it could eventually represent a permanent solution for a number of the whales.

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

Different voices say the idea of a sanctuary indicates a changing attitudes away from captive facilities and could represent a viable solution in the coming months.

Charles Vinick, leader of the sanctuary project, said the location will replicate the intellectual stimulation and feeding regimen the whales obtain from caretakers, albeit in a more expansive environment. He said after the medical condition of whales is completely examined, which could take months|an extended period|