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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie Botts is an adorable small “sweetheart”. The whale Orion – called “Onion Ring” – is a big but fiercely protective companion. Zephyr has “ants in his pants” and wiggles like a wiggly creature. Lillooet the beluga is the “loving presence” with a kind nature.

A group of thirty captive marine mammals in a Canadian amusement park have been entangled in a disagreement between a defunct facility, local and national governments and welfare campaigners.

But those most familiar with the whales say the impassioned controversy over their future often overlooks the complexities of the whales who, after living their entire lives in captivity, have been closely studied by the people who see them each day.

After the national authorities blocked the sale of the belugas to China, the struggling attraction near the famous falls where they are kept stated it would consider to euthanize them unless the government pays for the expense of their care. Canada’s fisheries minister has refused that demand, placing the thirty whales in an dangerously unstable position.

Intelligent Marine Mammals

Scientists say that beluga whales’ brain structure, along with their mimicry abilities, intellectual tasks and social skills indicate they are remarkably smart mammals – something one caretaker discovered first-hand.

She spent a significant period as a marine mammal specialist, a position that involved earning the trust of the sea creatures.

“Developing those connections over time takes a lot of regularity and a lot of affection. At the outset, 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 wonderful and gratifying.”

Burgess knew the whales were exceptionally cognitive, but she says she was even so astounded by the details and idiosyncrasies in their personalities. She developed a deep bond for two female belugas with different personalities.

“Eve selected me. The other demanded work,” she said. “Each changed the way I understand relationships.”

Public Concerns and Deteriorating Conditions

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

During her three years at the facility, multiple belugas and the park’s one orca, the orca, died. In all, nineteen belugas have perished at the park since 2019, a number which the facility ascribes to age-related causes, but which activists say points to the substandard environment in which they were housed.

The facility did not open to the guests over the summer, but the former trainer says she witnessed firsthand consequences of the closure. “Concrete is breaking off from the pools because they’re degrading and not being maintained. The whales are exploratory and so they pick it up and move about with fragments in their mouth. It’s heartbreaking to see.”

The park did not reply to a request for comment, but previously stated: “The whales … get far superior medical attention and constant supervision than any person in the Britain, or elsewhere.”

Uncertain Future and Potential Resolutions

Burgess was fired from the park in the spring following the passing of a beluga, an sick beluga the park staff had to euthanize. She said the facility suspected details of the death were leaked to the press and she was let go soon after.

The uncertainty over the whales’ fate has left her and other caretakers in anguish. She says the park’s ultimatum to kill its whales is a bargaining chip and is a “logistically impossible” endeavor, adding any plans to humanely kill even a single beluga would require “considerable staff”, trucks and specialized tools.

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

She backs calls for the whales to be taken immediately from the park, with its crumbling tanks and dwindling staff.

In the autumn, the nation’s fisheries minister denied a proposal to transfer the whales to an overseas location.

“Granting the request would have meant a ongoing situation in enclosure and a reversion to display for amusement,” the minister stated. “As Canadians, we know that marine mammals belong in the sea, not in tanks for our amusement. I could not in clear conscience permit an transfer that would perpetuate the conditions these belugas have experienced.”

But the former trainer said the official’s comments indicate a broader lack of awareness of the circumstances of living conditions for belugas raised in confinement.

“The society needs to grasp these are whales that have existed solely in enclosed habitats and they will need human care for the foreseeable future,” she said. “Many just don’t comprehend that it’s not as simple as saying ‘close it down’.”

Alternative Habitat and Continuing Discussion

As decision makers struggle to find a resolution, suggestions have been put forward, some of which have little basis in reality. An idea called for the belugas to be let go into the wilds of northern regions – where whales are a important part of nourishment for Inuit communities.

A planned sanctuary in the province of Nova Scotia, which recently received official endorsement, has shown to be contentious. The prospective facility, which includes a large area of protected cove, is not yet built. Advocates remain positive that it could ultimately represent a sustainable solution for some of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among staff she’s discussed with, there is “no trust there” about what she said is “only an trial” in the whales’ well-being.

Different voices say the possibility of a refuge reflects a broader global shift away from zoos and aquariums and could represent a feasible solution in the near future.

Charles Vinick, leader of the initiative, said the site will mimic the cognitive activities and nutrition the whales get from trainers, albeit in a significantly bigger environment. He said after the medical condition of whales is completely examined, which could take months|an extended period|