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Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie is an charming small “ham sandwich”. The whale Orion – called “Onion” – is a sizeable but very loyal companion. Another whale, Zephyr has “endless energy” and sways like a worm. Lillooet the beluga is the “loving presence” with a heart of gold.

Thirty enclosed marine mammals in a Canada-based amusement park have been entangled in a tussle between a closed attraction, government authorities and advocacy groups.

But those most familiar with the whales say the impassioned discussion over their fate often fails to consider the individual traits of the whales who, after living their entire lives in captivity, have been carefully observed by the people who see them each day.

After the national authorities prevented the export of the belugas to a foreign facility, the controversial amusement park near the famous falls where they are housed warned to end their lives unless the authorities covers the upkeep of their survival. Canada’s fisheries minister has denied that request, placing the 30 whales in an dangerously unstable situation.

Intelligent Sea Creatures

Researchers say that beluga whales’ neuroanatomy, along with their mimicry abilities, cognitive challenges and communal behavior point to they are remarkably smart mammals – something one caretaker discovered first-hand.

She spent a significant period as a beluga trainer, a position that involved gaining confidence of the sea creatures.

“Building up those bonds over time takes a lot of consistency and a lot of love. At the outset, they’re very cautious of you,” she said. “Over time, you gain shared confidence. And they start being more trusting with you. It’s just so wonderful and gratifying.”

Burgess knew the whales were highly intelligent, but she says she was nevertheless amazed by the nuances and quirks in their personalities. She formed a special affection for Eve and Cleopatra with different natures.

“One whale selected me. The other required effort,” she said. “Each altered the way I perceive relationships.”

Growing Opposition and Facility Decline

Her interaction with the whales developed against a background of growing public opposition to their confinement.

During her tenure at the park, multiple belugas and the park’s single killer whale, Kiska, succumbed. In total, nineteen belugas have perished at the park since 2019, a statistic which the facility ascribes to natural mortality, but which advocates say reflects the substandard environment in which they were maintained.

The park did not operate to the public over the summer, but the former trainer says she witnessed firsthand effects of the closure. “Structural materials is deteriorating from the enclosures because they’re degrading and not being repaired. The whales are exploratory and so they grab fragments and move about with fragments in their jaws. It’s distressing to see.”

The facility did not respond to a questionnaire, but in the past claimed: “The whales … get far higher quality health care and 24/7 attention than any human in the UK, or anywhere else.”

Fate in Limbo and Proposed Solutions

The former employee was terminated from the facility in early March following the demise of a beluga, an sick beluga the caretakers had to put down. She said the park suspected details of the incident were disclosed to the press and she was released not long after.

The ambiguity over the whales’ outcome has left Burgess and staff members in distress. She says the park’s threat to euthanize its whales is a bargaining chip and is a “extremely difficult” endeavor, adding any plans to euthanize even a individual beluga would require “significant manpower”, trucks and machinery.

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

Burgess backs requests for the whales to be taken promptly from the park, with its deteriorating pools and reduced personnel.

In recent months, Canada’s government official denied a bid to send the whales to an overseas location.

“To approve the proposal would have meant a continued situation in enclosure and a return to performance for audiences,” the official stated. “As Canadians, we know that whales should be in the wild, not in enclosures for our entertainment. I could not in ethical standing permit an relocation that would continue the treatment these belugas have endured.”

But the former trainer said the official’s statements indicate a wider incorrect perception of the realities of life for belugas born in captivity.

“The people needs to understand these are whales that have spent their whole lives in confinement and they will need human care for the rest of their years,” she said. “People just don’t comprehend that it’s not as simple as saying ‘end operations’.”

Alternative Habitat and Ongoing Debate

As decision makers work to find a resolution, proposals have surfaced, some of which have minimal feasibility. An idea called for the belugas to be freed into the open waters of northern regions – where whales are a key source of nourishment for local populations.

A proposed protected area in the province of Nova Scotia, which now received official endorsement, has shown to be most controversial. The prospective site, which includes 100 acres of penned in ocean, is not yet built. Supporters remain positive that it could eventually represent a long term answer for some of the whales.

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

Some experts say the idea of a sanctuary represents a broader global shift away from captive facilities and could represent a viable approach in the short term.

Charles Vinick, head of the sanctuary project, said the location will replicate the intellectual stimulation and diet the whales receive from trainers, albeit in a significantly bigger space. He said after the well-being of whales is completely examined, which could take months|an extended period|