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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie is an cute little “sweetheart”. Orion – called “Onion Ring” – is a big but guardian-like companion. Zephyr has “ants in his pants” and moves like a worm. Lillooet the beluga is the “loving presence” with a gentle spirit.

Thirty captive marine mammals in a Canadian amusement park have been entangled in a tussle between a shuttered park, public officials and welfare campaigners.

But those working directly with the whales say the intense debate over their destiny often fails to consider the nuances of the whales who, after growing up in confinement, have been thoroughly researched by the people who see them each day.

After the Canadian government blocked the sale of the belugas to a foreign facility, the struggling amusement park near the famous falls where they are housed threatened to put them down unless the government funds the expense of their care. The nation’s fisheries minister has denied that request, placing the 30 whales in an increasingly precarious circumstance.

Highly Cognitive Marine Mammals

Scientists say that belugas’ neuroanatomy, along with their vocal imitation skills, cognitive challenges and group interactions point to they are deeply intelligent mammals – something a former trainer discovered directly.

Burgess spent three years as a whale caretaker, a position that entailed earning the trust of the aquatic animals.

“Establishing those connections over time takes a lot of dedication and a lot of affection. At the start, they’re very unsure of you,” she said. “In time, 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 nevertheless amazed by the details and quirks in their dispositions. She developed a particular love for a pair of whales with different temperaments.

“Eve selected me. Cleo demanded work,” she said. “Both altered the way I understand relationships.”

Growing Opposition and Deteriorating Conditions

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

During her time at the park, seven belugas and the park’s single killer whale, the orca, succumbed. In all, 19 belugas have perished at the park since 2019, a statistic which the facility attributes to natural mortality, but which campaigners say reflects the poor conditions in which they were maintained.

The facility did not open to the guests over the recent season, but Burgess says she saw with her own eyes effects of the cessation. “Structural materials is deteriorating from the pools because they’re in disrepair and not being fixed. The whales are inquisitive and so they take pieces and navigate with pieces in their jaws. It’s distressing to see.”

The facility did not reply to a inquiry, but previously claimed: “The whales … receive far higher quality veterinary services and constant care than any human in the Britain, or elsewhere.”

Fate in Limbo and Potential Resolutions

The former employee was fired from the facility in early March following the death of a beluga, an sick beluga the park staff had to put down. She said the facility believed information of the death were shared to the press and she was fired soon after.

The uncertainty over the whales’ future has left Burgess and other caretakers in distress. She says the facility’s threat to end the lives of its whales is a leverage tool and is a “practically unfeasible” endeavor, adding any efforts to put down even a single beluga would require “immense manpower”, vehicles and machinery.

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

Burgess advocates for requests for the whales to be removed promptly from the park, with its deteriorating pools and reduced personnel.

In the autumn, the nation’s government official rejected a bid to transfer the whales to China.

“To approve the proposal would have meant a ongoing life in enclosure and a return to display for amusement,” the official wrote. “As the public, we know that whales are meant for the sea, not in pools for our entertainment. I could not in ethical standing authorize an relocation that would prolong the situation these belugas have suffered.”

But Burgess said the minister’s remarks reflect a broader incorrect perception of the realities of living conditions for belugas born in captivity.

“The public needs to realize these are whales that have lived entirely in enclosed habitats and they will need ongoing assistance for the rest of their years,” she said. “People just don’t realize that it’s not as simple as saying ‘close it down’.”

Alternative Habitat and Continuing Discussion

As decision makers work to find a resolution, ideas have been put forward, some of which have questionable practicality. A suggested plan called for the belugas to be let go into the natural habitat of Canada’s north – where whales are a primary resource of sustenance for local populations.

A proposed protected area in the province of eastern Canada, which now received regulatory clearance, has shown to be contentious. The future site, which includes a large area of protected cove, remains undeveloped. Advocates remain hopeful that it could in time represent a sustainable solution for a number of the whales.

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

Different voices say the possibility of a protected habitat indicates a changing attitudes away from captive facilities and could represent a feasible plan in the near future.

Charles Vinick, leader of the initiative, said the facility will replicate the mental engagement and diet the whales obtain from specialists, albeit in a more expansive environment. He said after the well-being of whales is fully assessed, which could take months|an extended period|