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Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie Botts is an adorable small “ham sandwich”. Orion – nicknamed “Onion Ring” – is a big but guardian-like friend. Another whale, Zephyr has “constant motion” and sways like a wiggly creature. Lillooet the beluga is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a heart of gold.

Thirty enclosed marine mammals in a Canada-based entertainment facility have been entangled in a struggle between a defunct facility, government authorities and animal rights activists.

But those most familiar with the whales say the intense discussion over their fate often overlooks the individual traits of the whales who, after spending their lives in captivity, have been carefully observed by the caretakers who see them each day.

After the national authorities disallowed the export of the belugas to a foreign facility, the embattled amusement park near the famous falls where they are kept stated it would consider to euthanize them unless the federal government funds the upkeep of their survival. The nation’s fisheries minister has rejected that request, placing the 30 whales in an dangerously unstable situation.

Intelligent Sea Creatures

Scientists say that beluga whales’ neuroanatomy, along with their sound replication, cognitive challenges and group interactions point to they are remarkably smart mammals – something one caretaker learned personally.

Burgess spent three years as a beluga trainer, a position that involved building relationships of the aquatic animals.

“Developing those relationships over time takes a lot of dedication and a lot of affection. At the outset, they’re very wary of you,” she said. “Eventually, you gain shared confidence. And they start being more trusting with you. It’s just so magical and rewarding.”

Burgess knew the whales were very smart, but she says she was nevertheless amazed by the nuances and quirks in their personalities. She cultivated a deep bond for Eve and Cleopatra with contrasting temperaments.

“Eve selected me. The other demanded work,” she said. “Each changed the way I understand relationships.”

Public Concerns and Deteriorating Conditions

Her relationship with the whales developed against a backdrop of growing public opposition to their captivity.

During her tenure at the facility, multiple belugas and the park’s single orca, the orca, died. In all, 19 belugas have perished 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 visitors over the summer, but the former trainer says she saw with her own eyes consequences of the closure. “Structural materials is deteriorating from the enclosures because they’re falling apart and not being fixed. The whales are curious and so they grab fragments and move about with pieces in their jaws. It’s heartbreaking to see.”

The facility did not respond to a questionnaire, but previously claimed: “The whales … receive far higher quality health care and around the clock supervision than any human in the Britain, or anywhere else.”

Uncertain Future and Proposed Solutions

The former employee was dismissed from the park in recent months following the death of a beluga, an sick beluga the park staff had to humanely kill. She said the facility thought information of the incident were disclosed to the media and she was let go not long after.

The lack of clarity over the whales’ fate has left Burgess and staff members in distress. She says the park’s warning to end the lives of its whales is a bargaining chip and is a “practically unfeasible” endeavor, adding any plans to euthanize even a single beluga would require “considerable personnel”, equipment and heavy equipment.

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

Burgess backs requests for the whales to be taken immediately from the facility, with its deteriorating pools and dwindling staff.

In late September, the nation’s government official denied a bid to send the whales to an overseas location.

“To approve the request would have meant a continued life in confinement and a reversion to public entertainment,” the minister wrote. “As the public, we know that whales are meant for the sea, not in pools for our enjoyment. I could not in ethical standing permit an transfer that would perpetuate the situation these belugas have experienced.”

But Burgess said the official’s comments reflect a wider lack of awareness of the facts of life for belugas raised in confinement.

“The society needs to grasp these are whales that have spent their whole lives in captivity and they will need ongoing assistance for the foreseeable future,” she said. “Many just don’t understand that it’s not as simple as saying ‘end operations’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Continuing Discussion

As officials attempt to find a answer, proposals have been put forward, some of which have questionable practicality. An idea called for the belugas to be released into the natural habitat of the Arctic – where whales are a important part of food for Inuit communities.

A suggested sanctuary in the province of Nova Scotia, which has received government approval, has shown to be highly debated. The planned location, which includes 100 acres of enclosed sea water, remains undeveloped. Proponents remain positive that it could in time represent a sustainable solution for some of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among caretakers she’s consulted, there is “skepticism there” about what she said is “only an experiment” in the whales’ fate.

Some experts say the prospect of a protected habitat represents a changing attitudes away from captive facilities and could represent a feasible plan in the short term.

An official, director of the sanctuary project, said the location will replicate the cognitive activities and diet the whales get from trainers, albeit in a significantly bigger environment. He said after the health of whales is fully assessed, which could take months|an extended period|