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Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie is an charming small “playful character”. The whale Orion – called “Onion” – is a big but fiercely protective friend. Zephyr has “ants in his pants” and moves like a worm. Lillooet is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a gentle spirit.

Thirty enclosed beluga whales in a Canada-based amusement park have been entangled in a tussle between a shuttered park, government authorities and welfare campaigners.

But those most familiar with the whales say the impassioned debate over their destiny often ignores the nuances of the whales who, after growing up in enclosed habitats, have been carefully observed by the people who work with them regularly.

After the federal government disallowed the sale of the belugas to China, the struggling facility near Niagara Falls where they are kept warned to end their lives unless the authorities funds the expense of keeping them alive. Canada’s fisheries minister has refused that ultimatum, placing the 30 whales in an ever more uncertain situation.

Intelligent Marine Mammals

Scientists say that beluga whales’ brain structure, along with their vocal imitation skills, problem solving and communal behavior point to they are deeply intelligent mammals – something one caretaker learned first-hand.

She spent three years as a marine mammal specialist, a role that required gaining confidence of the aquatic animals.

“Building up those relationships over time takes a lot of regularity and a lot of care. At the beginning, they’re very wary of you,” she said. “Eventually, you gain reciprocal understanding. And they start being more trusting with you. It’s just so extraordinary and fulfilling.”

Burgess knew the whales were exceptionally cognitive, but she says she was even so amazed by the subtleties and unique traits in their dispositions. She cultivated a particular love for Eve and Cleopatra with different personalities.

“One whale selected me. The other demanded work,” she said. “They changed the way I view connection.”

Public Concerns and Facility Decline

Her connection with the whales evolved against a background of increasing societal concern to their captivity.

During her tenure at the facility, seven belugas and the park’s one orca, Kiska, died. In total, 19 belugas have perished at the park since 2019, a number which the facility ascribes to expected lifespan, but which campaigners say indicates the inadequate care in which they were maintained.

The park did not open to the public over the summer, but the former trainer says she observed directly consequences of the shutdown. “Concrete is breaking off from the enclosures because they’re degrading and not being fixed. The whales are exploratory and so they pick it up and navigate with fragments in their jaws. It’s upsetting to see.”

The park did not reply to a inquiry, but earlier asserted: “The whales … get far superior health care and 24/7 supervision than any person in the Britain, or other places.”

Uncertain Future and Proposed Solutions

Burgess was terminated from the facility in early March following the passing of a beluga, an unwell beluga the caretakers had to humanely kill. She said the park suspected details of the incident were leaked to the press and she was fired shortly thereafter.

The lack of clarity over the whales’ fate has left her and staff members in distress. She says the facility’s threat to kill its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “practically unfeasible” undertaking, adding any plans to euthanize even a one beluga would require “considerable staff”, equipment and heavy equipment.

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

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

In recent months, Canada’s government official turned down a request to export the whales to an overseas location.

“Granting the application would have meant a perpetual situation in captivity and a reversion to public entertainment,” the official commented. “As the public, we know that marine mammals should be in the sea, not in pools for our entertainment. I could not in clear conscience permit an export that would perpetuate the treatment these belugas have experienced.”

But the former trainer said the minister’s comments reflect a more general lack of awareness of the circumstances of life for belugas born in captivity.

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

Alternative Habitat and Ongoing Debate

As officials struggle to find a solution, suggestions have been put forward, some of which have minimal feasibility. One proposal called for the belugas to be released into the open waters of northern regions – where whales are a primary resource of sustenance for Indigenous peoples.

A planned sanctuary in the province of Nova Scotia, which recently received government approval, has proven highly debated. The prospective location, which includes extensive space of penned in ocean, is not yet built. Proponents remain positive that it could in time represent a sustainable resolution for eight of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among staff she’s spoken with, there is “skepticism there” about what she said is “only an experiment” in the whales’ future.

Some experts say the possibility of a sanctuary represents a worldwide trend away from animal displays and could represent a viable plan in the near future.

The project lead, leader of the initiative, said the location will mimic the cognitive activities and diet 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|