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Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie is an adorable small “ham sandwich”. Orion – nicknamed “Onion” – is a sizeable but fiercely protective friend. Another whale, Zephyr has “ants in his pants” and sways like a worm. Lillooet is the “most affectionate” with a gentle spirit.

Thirty captive beluga whales in a Canada-based amusement park have been caught in a disagreement between a defunct facility, local and national governments and animal rights activists.

But those closest to the whales say the intense discussion over their destiny often overlooks the individual traits of the whales who, after living their entire lives in captivity, have been carefully observed by the people who work with them regularly.

After the federal government prevented the export of the belugas to China, the embattled attraction near the famous falls where they are kept threatened to end their lives unless the authorities covers the cost of keeping them alive. Canada’s marine resources official has refused that demand, placing the thirty whales in an dangerously unstable circumstance.

Intelligent Sea Creatures

Researchers say that beluga whales’ neural makeup, along with their vocal imitation skills, problem solving and social skills suggest they are remarkably smart animals – something a former trainer discovered directly.

Burgess spent several years as a whale caretaker, a position that entailed gaining confidence of the aquatic animals.

“Establishing those connections over time takes a lot of consistency and a lot of affection. At the beginning, they’re very cautious of you,” she said. “In time, you gain mutual trust. And they start being more trusting with you. It’s just so extraordinary and gratifying.”

The trainer knew the whales were exceptionally cognitive, but she says she was nevertheless astounded by the nuances and quirks in their personalities. She formed a special affection for two female belugas with opposing natures.

“Eve accepted me. Cleo made me earn it,” she said. “Both changed the way I understand bonding.”

Public Concerns and Deteriorating Conditions

Burgess’s connection with the whales progressed against a backdrop of increasing societal concern to their captivity.

During her tenure at the park, multiple belugas and the park’s one killer whale, the orca, passed away. In all, 19 belugas have died at the park since 2019, a number which the facility ascribes to age-related causes, but which activists say points to the inadequate care in which they were maintained.

The facility did not open to the public over the summer, but the former trainer says she witnessed firsthand results of the closure. “Structural materials is deteriorating from the pools because they’re falling apart and not being maintained. The whales are curious and so they pick it up and move about with fragments in their mouth. It’s upsetting to see.”

The park did not comment to a request for comment, but in the past claimed: “The whales … get far better health care and around the clock supervision than any person in the UK, or other places.”

Fate in Limbo and Potential Resolutions

Burgess was dismissed from the park in the spring following the demise of a beluga, an unwell beluga the employees had to put down. She said the park believed details of the death were shared to the news outlets and she was let go not long after.

The lack of clarity over the whales’ future has left Burgess and staff members in despair. She says the facility’s warning to euthanize its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “extremely difficult” endeavor, adding any attempts to euthanize even a one beluga would require “significant personnel”, trucks and specialized tools.

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

She advocates for calls for the whales to be transferred immediately from the facility, with its crumbling tanks and shrinking team.

In late September, Canada’s government official rejected a proposal to export the whales to China.

“Allowing the proposal would have meant a perpetual situation in enclosure and a reversion to performance for audiences,” the minister wrote. “As society, we know that marine mammals are meant for the wild, not in enclosures for our amusement. I could not in good conscience approve an relocation that would perpetuate the conditions these belugas have suffered.”

But the former trainer said the minister’s comments indicate a wider incorrect perception of the circumstances of existence for belugas born in captivity.

“The public needs to grasp these are whales that have existed solely in captivity and they will need constant supervision for the rest of their years,” she said. “Many just don’t realize that it’s not as simple as saying ‘close it down’.”

Alternative Habitat and Ongoing Debate

As decision makers attempt to find a resolution, proposals have surfaced, some of which have minimal feasibility. An idea called for the belugas to be let go into the open waters of the Arctic – where whales are a important part of food for local populations.

A planned protected area in the region of eastern Canada, which now received official endorsement, has proven most controversial. The future facility, which includes extensive space of protected cove, doesn’t yet exist. Supporters remain positive that it could eventually represent a sustainable resolution for a number of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among caretakers she’s discussed with, there is “doubts there” about what she said is “simply an trial” in the whales’ fate.

Others say the prospect of a refuge reflects a worldwide trend away from captive facilities and could represent a feasible approach in the near future.

Charles Vinick, leader of the initiative, said the facility will replicate the intellectual stimulation and diet the whales obtain from specialists, albeit in a more expansive space. He said after the well-being of whales is completely examined, which could take months|an extended period|