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Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie is an charming small “sweetheart”. The whale Orion – called “Onion Ring” – is a sizeable but very loyal friend. Another whale, Zephyr has “endless energy” and sways like a worm. Lillooet is the “most affectionate” with a kind nature.

Thirty enclosed marine mammals in a Canada-based amusement park have been entangled in a disagreement between a defunct facility, government authorities and animal rights activists.

But those most familiar with the whales say the impassioned controversy over their fate often overlooks the individual traits of the whales who, after growing up in captivity, have been closely studied by the people who work with them regularly.

After the federal government prevented the export of the belugas to China, the embattled amusement park near the famous falls where they are housed threatened to euthanize them unless the federal government pays for the cost of their survival. Canada’s fisheries minister has refused that demand, placing the 30 whales in an increasingly precarious position.

Intelligent Sea Creatures

Researchers say that beluga whales’ neuroanatomy, along with their mimicry abilities, intellectual tasks and group interactions point to they are deeply intelligent animals – something one caretaker discovered first-hand.

She spent a significant period as a beluga trainer, a role that required gaining confidence of the aquatic animals.

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

Burgess knew the whales were exceptionally cognitive, but she says she was nonetheless amazed by the subtleties and quirks in their personalities. She cultivated a deep bond for a pair of whales with opposing temperaments.

“Eve accepted me. Cleo demanded work,” she said. “Both transformed the way I understand bonding.”

Growing Opposition and Deteriorating Conditions

Burgess’s connection with the whales progressed against a background of growing public opposition to their captivity.

During her tenure at the park, seven belugas and the park’s one orca, the orca, passed away. In all, nineteen belugas have perished at the park since 2019, a number which the park ascribes to age-related causes, but which campaigners say reflects the substandard environment in which they were maintained.

The facility did not open to the public over the summer, but the former trainer says she observed directly results of the cessation. “Concrete is breaking off from the pools because they’re falling apart and not being maintained. The whales are inquisitive and so they take pieces and move about with pieces in their mouth. It’s heartbreaking to see.”

The park did not comment to a request for comment, but earlier asserted: “The whales … receive far superior health care and 24/7 attention than any person in the United Kingdom, or elsewhere.”

Uncertain Future and Proposed Solutions

The former employee was terminated from the park in early March following the demise of a beluga, an ailing beluga the caretakers had to put down. She said the park suspected information of the incident were leaked to the media and she was let go not long after.

The ambiguity over the whales’ outcome has left Burgess and current and former trainers in anguish. She says the facility’s ultimatum to end the lives of its whales is a bargaining chip and is a “extremely difficult” undertaking, adding any efforts to euthanize even a individual beluga would require “immense personnel”, trucks and heavy equipment.

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

She advocates for demands for the whales to be taken immediately from the park, with its crumbling tanks and reduced personnel.

In recent months, the nation’s government official denied a bid to export the whales to China.

“To approve the request would have meant a continued life in enclosure and a return to public entertainment,” the official stated. “As Canadians, we know that belugas should be in the sea, not in pools for our amusement. I could not in clear conscience approve an transfer that would prolong the treatment these belugas have endured.”

But Burgess said the official’s comments reflect a broader incorrect perception of the circumstances of living conditions for belugas living their whole lives in enclosures.

“The public needs to understand these are whales that have existed solely in confinement and they will need ongoing assistance for the rest of their years,” she said. “Many just don’t realize that it’s not as straightforward as saying ‘end operations’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Continuing Discussion

As decision makers struggle to find a solution, proposals have surfaced, some of which have little basis in reality. An idea called for the belugas to be freed into the natural habitat of the Arctic – where whales are a primary resource of nourishment for Inuit communities.

A suggested sanctuary in the province of eastern Canada, which now received government approval, has proven contentious. The planned location, which includes extensive space of enclosed sea water, is not yet built. Advocates remain hopeful that it could eventually represent a permanent answer for a number of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among caretakers she’s spoken with, there is “skepticism there” about what she said is “simply an trial” in the whales’ future.

Different voices say the prospect of a protected habitat indicates a changing attitudes away from animal displays and could represent a viable plan in the coming months.

An official, director of the initiative, said the site will replicate the cognitive activities and feeding regimen the whales obtain from specialists, albeit in a significantly bigger environment. He said after the well-being of whales is completely examined, which could take months|an extended period|