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Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie Botts is an cute small “ham sandwich”. The whale Orion – called “Onion Ring” – is a sizeable but very loyal companion. Another whale, Zephyr has “ants in his pants” and moves like a wiggly creature. Lillooet is the “most affectionate” with a kind nature.

A group of thirty enclosed marine mammals in a Canada-based amusement park have been caught in a disagreement between a defunct facility, government authorities and animal rights activists.

But those most familiar with the whales say the heated debate over their destiny often ignores the complexities of the whales who, after growing up in captivity, have been carefully observed by the caretakers who see them each day.

After the Canadian government prevented the transfer of the belugas to a foreign facility, the controversial facility near the famous falls where they are housed stated it would consider to end their lives unless the federal government covers the upkeep of keeping them alive. The nation’s fisheries minister has denied that request, placing the 30 whales in an dangerously unstable position.

Highly Cognitive Sea Creatures

Experts say that beluga whales’ neural makeup, along with their sound replication, problem solving and social skills point to they are remarkably smart animals – something Kristy Burgess learned personally.

Burgess spent several years as a marine mammal specialist, a role that entailed gaining confidence of the marine predators.

“Establishing those relationships over time takes a lot of regularity and a lot of affection. At the outset, they’re very cautious of you,” she said. “In time, you gain reciprocal understanding. And they start being more open with you. It’s just so extraordinary and fulfilling.”

Burgess knew the whales were exceptionally cognitive, but she says she was even so amazed by the details and quirks in their dispositions. She developed a particular love for Eve and Cleopatra with different natures.

“Eve chose me. The other made me earn it,” she said. “Each changed the way I view bonding.”

Growing Opposition and Facility Decline

Her interaction with the whales developed against a backdrop of rising activist criticism to their captivity.

During her time at the park, seven belugas and the park’s single orca, the orca, died. In total, nineteen belugas have died at the park since 2019, a number which the park ascribes to age-related causes, but which advocates say reflects the substandard environment in which they were housed.

The park did not open to the guests over the summer, but the former trainer says she saw with her own eyes consequences of the closure. “Concrete is deteriorating from the pools because they’re degrading and not being maintained. The whales are inquisitive and so they take pieces and navigate with fragments in their jaws. It’s upsetting to see.”

The park did not respond to a inquiry, but earlier asserted: “The whales … receive far superior medical attention and 24/7 care than any person in the UK, or elsewhere.”

Fate in Limbo and Proposed Solutions

The former employee was terminated from the facility in early March following the death of a beluga, an sick beluga the caretakers had to put down. She said the facility thought particulars of the death were disclosed to the news outlets and she was fired not long after.

The uncertainty over the whales’ future has left Burgess and other caretakers in distress. She says the park’s ultimatum to euthanize its whales is a leverage tool and is a “extremely difficult” undertaking, adding any efforts to euthanize even a single beluga would require “considerable staff”, trucks and heavy equipment.

“It’s impossible in hell the caretakers would ever do it,” she said.

She backs demands for the whales to be transferred right away from the park, with its failing enclosures and reduced personnel.

In late September, Canada’s fisheries minister turned down a request to transfer the whales to China.

“Allowing the application would have meant a ongoing existence in enclosure and a return to performance for audiences,” the official commented. “As society, we know that marine mammals are meant for the ocean, not in enclosures for our entertainment. I could not in ethical standing authorize an transfer that would continue the situation these belugas have experienced.”

But Burgess said the official’s comments indicate a wider misunderstanding of the realities of living conditions for belugas raised in confinement.

“The public needs to grasp these are whales that have spent their whole lives in enclosed habitats and they will need constant supervision for the foreseeable future,” she said. “People just don’t realize that it’s not as straightforward as saying ‘end operations’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Continuing Discussion

As decision makers struggle to find a resolution, suggestions have been put forward, some of which have questionable practicality. A suggested plan called for the belugas to be freed into the natural habitat of Canada’s north – where whales are a key source of sustenance for local populations.

A planned protected area in the province of Nova Scotia, which has received official endorsement, has been highly debated. The future site, which includes a large area of penned in ocean, is not yet built. Supporters remain positive that it could ultimately represent a sustainable answer for some of the whales.

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

Different voices say the prospect of a refuge reflects a worldwide trend away from animal displays and could represent a feasible approach in the near future.

An official, head of the initiative, said the site will simulate the mental engagement and diet the whales obtain from specialists, albeit in a more expansive space. He said after the health of whales is fully assessed, which could take months|an extended period|