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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie Botts is an charming little “ham sandwich”. The whale Orion – called “Onion” – is a sizeable but very loyal friend. Another whale, Zephyr has “constant motion” and wiggles like a wiggly creature. Lillooet is the “loving presence” with a gentle spirit.

Thirty captive marine mammals in a Canada-based amusement park have become pawns in a struggle between a shuttered park, government authorities and advocacy groups.

But those working directly with the whales say the impassioned debate over their fate often fails to consider the nuances of the whales who, after living their entire lives in enclosed habitats, have been carefully observed by the people who interact with them daily.

After the federal government prevented the export of the belugas to a foreign facility, the controversial amusement park near the famous falls where they are housed threatened to end their lives unless the government covers the cost of their care. The nation’s marine resources official has denied that ultimatum, placing the 30 whales in an ever more uncertain situation.

Highly Cognitive Marine Mammals

Experts say that belugas’ brain structure, along with their mimicry abilities, intellectual tasks and social skills indicate they are deeply intelligent mammals – something one caretaker discovered directly.

She spent a significant period as a whale caretaker, a role that involved building relationships of the sea creatures.

“Building up those connections over time takes a lot of consistency and a lot of care. At the beginning, they’re very unsure of you,” she said. “In time, you gain shared confidence. And they start being more vulnerable with you. It’s just so wonderful and gratifying.”

The trainer knew the whales were exceptionally cognitive, but she says she was nonetheless astounded by the details and idiosyncrasies in their personalities. She developed a special affection for two female belugas with contrasting natures.

“One whale chose me. Cleo demanded work,” she said. “Each transformed the way I perceive connection.”

Growing Opposition and Deteriorating Conditions

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

During her time at the park, multiple belugas and the park’s single orca, the orca, died. In all, 19 belugas have died at the park since 2019, a toll which the facility ascribes to expected lifespan, but which activists say points to the substandard environment in which they were housed.

The facility did not operate to the public over the summer, but the former trainer says she witnessed firsthand consequences of the shutdown. “Concrete is deteriorating from the tanks because they’re degrading and not being maintained. The whales are exploratory and so they pick it up and move about with fragments in their jaws. It’s upsetting to see.”

The park did not comment to a request for comment, but earlier stated: “The whales … obtain far better medical attention and 24/7 attention than any human in the United Kingdom, or anywhere else.”

Fate in Limbo and Proposed Solutions

Burgess was dismissed from the facility in early March following the demise of Eos, an unwell beluga the caretakers had to put down. She said the facility believed information of the death were shared to the press and she was released not long after.

The uncertainty over the whales’ outcome has left Burgess and staff members in despair. She says the park’s threat to kill its whales is a bargaining chip and is a “extremely difficult” task, adding any attempts to put down even a individual beluga would require “considerable manpower”, equipment and heavy equipment.

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

She backs requests for the whales to be taken right away from the park, with its failing enclosures and shrinking team.

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

“Granting the request would have meant a perpetual existence in confinement and a return to display for amusement,” the official stated. “As the public, we know that whales belong in the sea, not in tanks for our entertainment. I could not in ethical standing approve an relocation that would prolong the situation these belugas have experienced.”

But Burgess said the minister’s comments reflect a more general lack of awareness of the circumstances of living conditions for belugas living their whole lives in enclosures.

“The society needs to realize 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 ‘close it down’.”

Alternative Habitat and Continuing Discussion

As officials attempt to find a answer, suggestions have surfaced, some of which have minimal feasibility. One proposal called for the belugas to be let go into the wilds of the Arctic – where whales are a important part of nourishment for Indigenous peoples.

A proposed refuge in the region of Nova Scotia, which now received official endorsement, has proven most controversial. The planned site, which includes a large area of penned in ocean, remains undeveloped. Proponents remain positive that it could in time represent a long term solution for a number of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among trainers she’s spoken with, there is “doubts there” about what she said is “merely an untested concept” in the whales’ fate.

Others say the possibility of a protected habitat reflects a broader global shift away from captive facilities and could represent a feasible solution in the near future.

Charles Vinick, director of the initiative, said the facility will replicate the intellectual stimulation and diet the whales receive from caretakers, albeit in a more expansive environment. He said after the health of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|