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Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie is an cute little “playful character”. The whale Orion – called “Onion” – is a big but guardian-like friend. Another whale, Zephyr has “endless energy” and moves like a worm. Lillooet the beluga is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a heart of gold.

A group of thirty enclosed marine mammals in a Canada-based amusement park have been entangled in a tussle between a closed attraction, local and national governments and advocacy groups.

But those working directly with the whales say the heated discussion over their destiny often fails to consider the individual traits of the whales who, after growing up in captivity, have been carefully observed by the people who work with them regularly.

After the federal government disallowed the transfer of the belugas to a foreign facility, the controversial attraction near the famous falls where they are housed warned to euthanize them unless the federal government pays for the expense of their survival. Canada’s fisheries minister has refused that request, placing the 30 whales in an ever more uncertain circumstance.

Highly Cognitive Marine Mammals

Experts say that belugas’ brain structure, along with their mimicry abilities, cognitive challenges and social skills indicate they are remarkably smart creatures – something Kristy Burgess discovered first-hand.

She spent a significant period as a marine mammal specialist, a position that required earning the trust of the aquatic animals.

“Developing those bonds over time takes a lot of regularity and a lot of love. At the beginning, they’re very cautious of you,” she said. “Eventually, you gain reciprocal understanding. And they start being more vulnerable with you. It’s just so wonderful and rewarding.”

The trainer knew the whales were exceptionally cognitive, but she says she was nevertheless surprised by the subtleties and unique traits in their dispositions. She formed a particular love for two female belugas with contrasting personalities.

“One whale chose me. Cleo demanded work,” she said. “They transformed the way I view bonding.”

Public Concerns and Facility Decline

Burgess’s relationship with the whales evolved against a background of increasing societal concern to their captivity.

During her time at the attraction, seven belugas and the park’s one orca, Kiska, passed away. In total, 19 belugas have died at the park since 2019, a toll which the facility links to age-related causes, but which activists say reflects the inadequate care in which they were kept.

The facility did not operate to the guests over the summer, but the former trainer says she witnessed firsthand consequences of the closure. “Concrete is deteriorating from the enclosures because they’re falling apart and not being maintained. The whales are inquisitive and so they pick it up and navigate with pieces in their mouth. It’s distressing to see.”

The park did not respond to a questionnaire, but in the past claimed: “The whales … obtain far superior medical attention and 24/7 attention than any person in the Britain, or anywhere else.”

Uncertain Future and Potential Resolutions

The former employee was fired from the park in recent months following the demise of Eos, an ailing beluga the caretakers had to euthanize. She said the park believed particulars of the death were leaked to the news outlets and she was fired soon after.

The ambiguity over the whales’ future has left her and staff members in anguish. She says the park’s warning to euthanize its whales is a leverage tool and is a “logistically impossible” task, adding any efforts to euthanize even a individual beluga would require “significant manpower”, trucks and heavy equipment.

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

She backs requests for the whales to be taken right away from the facility, with its failing enclosures and dwindling staff.

In recent months, Canada’s fisheries minister rejected a proposal to transfer the whales to China.

“Allowing the request would have meant a continued existence in confinement and a reversion to public entertainment,” the minister commented. “As Canadians, we know that whales belong in the sea, not in enclosures for our amusement. I could not in ethical standing permit an export that would continue the conditions these belugas have suffered.”

But the former trainer said the official’s remarks reveal a broader misunderstanding of the circumstances of life for belugas born in captivity.

“The society needs to understand these are whales that have spent their whole lives in confinement and they will need human care for the remainder of their lives,” she said. “People just don’t comprehend that it’s not as easy as saying ‘close it down’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Continuing Discussion

As decision makers struggle to find a solution, ideas have surfaced, some of which have little basis in reality. A suggested plan called for the belugas to be freed into the wilds of Canada’s north – where whales are a key source of sustenance for Inuit communities.

A suggested sanctuary in the region of Nova Scotia, which has received government approval, has proven contentious. The prospective facility, which includes a large area of penned in ocean, doesn’t yet exist. Proponents remain positive that it could in time represent a sustainable resolution for eight of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among caretakers she’s consulted, there is “skepticism there” about what she said is “merely an trial” in the whales’ well-being.

Different voices say the idea of a refuge reflects a broader global shift away from zoos and aquariums and could represent a workable approach in the near future.

An official, leader of the plan, said the location will mimic the cognitive activities and diet the whales obtain from specialists, albeit in a more expansive area. He said after the health of whales is completely examined, which could take months|an extended period|