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Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie is an charming small “playful character”. The whale Orion – called “Onion” – is a sizeable but guardian-like friend. Zephyr has “constant motion” and moves like a worm. Lillooet the beluga is the “loving presence” with a gentle spirit.

A group of thirty enclosed marine mammals in a Canada-based amusement park have become pawns in a disagreement between a defunct facility, local and national governments and animal rights activists.

But those working directly with the whales say the impassioned discussion over their fate often overlooks the nuances of the whales who, after growing up in captivity, have been thoroughly researched by the caretakers who see them each day.

After the federal government blocked the transfer of the belugas to China, the embattled facility near the famous falls where they are kept warned to put them down unless the federal government pays for the cost of keeping them alive. The nation’s fisheries minister has refused that demand, placing the 30 whales in an dangerously unstable situation.

Highly Cognitive Sea Creatures

Scientists say that beluga whales’ neural makeup, along with their vocal imitation skills, intellectual tasks and social skills indicate they are deeply intelligent animals – something one caretaker discovered personally.

She spent three years as a whale caretaker, a role that required earning the trust of the sea creatures.

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

The trainer knew the whales were very smart, but she says she was even so surprised by the nuances and quirks in their dispositions. She cultivated a particular love for two female belugas with opposing temperaments.

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

Growing Opposition and Deteriorating Conditions

Her interaction with the whales evolved against a backdrop of increasing societal concern to their confinement.

During her time at the park, seven belugas and the park’s single killer whale, Kiska, died. In total, nineteen belugas have perished at the park since 2019, a number which the facility links to expected lifespan, but which advocates say reflects the inadequate care in which they were maintained.

The park did not admit visitors to the visitors over the summer, but the former trainer says she observed directly results of the cessation. “Concrete is falling apart from the pools because they’re degrading and not being repaired. The whales are curious and so they pick it up and swim around with pieces in their jaws. It’s heartbreaking to see.”

The park did not respond to a inquiry, but in the past claimed: “The whales … obtain far better medical attention and 24/7 care than any human in the UK, or other places.”

Fate in Limbo and Potential Resolutions

Burgess was terminated from the park in early March following the passing of a beluga, an sick beluga the employees had to put down. She said the facility suspected details of the death were leaked to the news outlets and she was fired not long after.

The lack of clarity over the whales’ fate has left Burgess and current and former trainers in anguish. She says the facility’s warning to kill its whales is a bargaining chip and is a “practically unfeasible” endeavor, adding any attempts to put down even a one beluga would require “significant personnel”, vehicles and specialized tools.

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

Burgess backs demands for the whales to be taken immediately from the park, with its crumbling tanks and shrinking team.

In late September, Canada’s government official turned down a proposal to transfer the whales to China.

“Allowing the proposal would have meant a perpetual life in enclosure and a reversion to public entertainment,” the official wrote. “As society, we know that whales belong in the sea, not in enclosures for our enjoyment. I could not in clear conscience permit an relocation that would prolong the situation these belugas have suffered.”

But the former trainer said the minister’s statements reveal a wider lack of awareness of the circumstances of existence for belugas living their whole lives in enclosures.

“The society needs to grasp these are whales that have existed solely in captivity and they will need ongoing assistance for the foreseeable future,” she said. “People just don’t understand that it’s not as straightforward as saying ‘close it down’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Continuing Discussion

As officials attempt to find a answer, suggestions have been put forward, some of which have minimal feasibility. A suggested plan called for the belugas to be freed into the natural habitat of the Arctic – where whales are a primary resource of food for Inuit communities.

A suggested sanctuary in the region of eastern Canada, which recently received government approval, has proven most controversial. The future location, which includes extensive space of enclosed sea water, is not yet built. Advocates remain hopeful 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 “no trust there” about what she said is “only an trial” in the whales’ future.

Others say the idea of a refuge indicates a broader global shift away from animal displays and could represent a workable solution in the short term.

An official, director of the initiative, said the location will simulate the cognitive activities and diet the whales get from caretakers, albeit in a more expansive space. He said after the well-being of whales is completely examined, which could take months|an extended period|