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Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie is an cute small “ham sandwich”. The whale Orion – nicknamed “Onion” – is a large but guardian-like friend. Zephyr has “endless energy” and wiggles like a wiggly creature. Lillooet is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a kind nature.

A group of 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 intense discussion over their fate often ignores the nuances of the whales who, after living their entire lives in captivity, have been closely studied by the caretakers who see them each day.

After the national authorities disallowed the transfer of the belugas to China, the controversial facility near the famous falls where they are housed threatened to end their lives unless the federal government funds the expense of keeping them alive. The nation’s marine resources official has denied that demand, placing the 30 whales in an increasingly precarious circumstance.

Highly Cognitive Marine Mammals

Researchers say that belugas’ brain structure, along with their mimicry abilities, intellectual tasks and group interactions point to they are deeply intelligent animals – something Kristy Burgess observed personally.

Burgess spent three years as a whale caretaker, a role that entailed earning the trust of the aquatic animals.

“Establishing those bonds over time takes a lot of dedication and a lot of care. At the beginning, they’re very cautious of you,” she said. “Over time, you gain shared confidence. And they start being more open with you. It’s just so wonderful and gratifying.”

Burgess knew the whales were exceptionally cognitive, but she says she was even so surprised by the subtleties and idiosyncrasies in their dispositions. She cultivated a special affection for two female belugas with opposing temperaments.

“Eve chose me. The other required effort,” she said. “They altered the way I understand bonding.”

Public Concerns and Deteriorating Conditions

Her interaction with the whales developed against a background of rising activist criticism to their captivity.

During her three years at the park, multiple belugas and the park’s single killer whale, the orca, died. In total, 19 belugas have died at the park since 2019, a number which the facility ascribes to age-related causes, but which campaigners say reflects the substandard environment in which they were housed.

The facility did not open to the public over the summer, but the former trainer says she observed directly consequences of the cessation. “Structural materials is falling apart from the enclosures because they’re falling apart and not being repaired. The whales are inquisitive and so they grab fragments and swim around with fragments in their jaws. It’s distressing to see.”

The park did not reply to a questionnaire, but previously asserted: “The whales … receive far better veterinary services and around the clock care than any person in the UK, or other places.”

Fate in Limbo and Potential Resolutions

Burgess was terminated from the park in the spring following the passing of a beluga, an ailing beluga the employees had to put down. She said the park believed information of the incident were shared to the news outlets and she was released shortly thereafter.

The ambiguity over the whales’ future has left Burgess and staff members in distress. She says the facility’s warning to euthanize its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “extremely difficult” endeavor, adding any attempts to humanely kill even a one beluga would require “significant staff”, equipment and specialized tools.

“It’s impossible in hell the staff would ever do it,” she said.

Burgess advocates for demands for the whales to be taken immediately from the facility, with its deteriorating pools and shrinking team.

In the autumn, Canada’s government official rejected a proposal to transfer the whales to an overseas location.

“To approve the request would have meant a perpetual life in captivity and a return to display for amusement,” the minister wrote. “As Canadians, we know that whales should be in the ocean, not in pools for our amusement. I could not in ethical standing authorize an transfer that would perpetuate the treatment these belugas have endured.”

But Burgess said the minister’s statements indicate a broader lack of awareness of the realities of living conditions for belugas born in captivity.

“The public needs to grasp these are whales that have spent their whole lives in confinement and they will need human care for the foreseeable future,” she said. “The public just don’t understand that it’s not as simple as saying ‘close it down’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Continuing Discussion

As authorities work to find a resolution, ideas have emerged, some of which have minimal feasibility. A suggested plan called for the belugas to be let go into the natural habitat of the Arctic – where whales are a key source of food for Inuit communities.

A planned protected area in the province of Nova Scotia, which recently received regulatory clearance, has shown to be most controversial. The prospective site, which includes 100 acres of protected cove, is not yet built. Advocates remain positive that it could in time represent a sustainable resolution for a number of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among trainers she’s discussed with, there is “doubts there” about what she said is “only an experiment” in the whales’ well-being.

Others say the prospect of a refuge represents a changing attitudes away from zoos and aquariums and could represent a workable solution in the short term.

Charles Vinick, director of the initiative, said the facility will simulate the intellectual stimulation and nutrition the whales obtain from caretakers, albeit in a significantly bigger environment. He said after the health of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|