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Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie is an adorable small “ham sandwich”. The whale Orion – called “Onion” – is a sizeable but guardian-like friend. Another whale, Zephyr has “constant motion” and sways like a worm. Lillooet 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 closed attraction, local and national governments and welfare campaigners.

But those most familiar with the whales say the intense controversy over their destiny often fails to consider the complexities of the whales who, after growing up in enclosed habitats, have been thoroughly researched by the caretakers who see them each day.

After the national authorities prevented the export of the belugas to China, the controversial facility near the famous falls where they are held warned to put them down unless the authorities funds the upkeep of keeping them alive. Canada’s fisheries minister has refused that ultimatum, placing the thirty whales in an ever more uncertain circumstance.

Highly Cognitive Sea Creatures

Researchers say that belugas’ neural makeup, along with their vocal imitation skills, cognitive challenges and communal behavior indicate they are deeply intelligent animals – something Kristy Burgess discovered first-hand.

Burgess spent three years as a marine mammal specialist, a role that required gaining confidence of the aquatic animals.

“Building up those connections over time takes a lot of consistency and a lot of love. At the start, they’re very wary of you,” she said. “Over time, you gain shared confidence. And they start being more open with you. It’s just so extraordinary and rewarding.”

Burgess knew the whales were highly intelligent, but she says she was even so astounded by the details and idiosyncrasies in their personalities. She cultivated a particular love for two female belugas with opposing natures.

“One whale chose me. Cleo made me earn it,” she said. “Each transformed the way I understand bonding.”

Public Concerns and Facility Decline

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

During her tenure at the park, seven belugas and the park’s one killer whale, Kiska, succumbed. In all, 19 belugas have died at the park since 2019, a toll which the park links to natural mortality, but which activists say indicates the poor conditions in which they were kept.

The facility did not open to the guests over the summer, but Burgess says she observed directly consequences of the closure. “Concrete is breaking off from the pools because they’re in disrepair and not being fixed. The whales are exploratory and so they take pieces and swim around with fragments in their mouth. It’s heartbreaking to see.”

The facility did not comment to a inquiry, but earlier asserted: “The whales … get far better health care and constant supervision than any individual in the United Kingdom, or elsewhere.”

Fate in Limbo and Proposed Solutions

The former employee was dismissed from the facility in early March following the death of Eos, an ailing beluga the park staff had to humanely kill. She said the park suspected information of the incident were disclosed to the news outlets and she was fired not long after.

The uncertainty over the whales’ outcome has left her and staff members in distress. She says the facility’s threat to end the lives of its whales is a bargaining chip and is a “practically unfeasible” undertaking, adding any efforts to put down even a single beluga would require “significant staff”, equipment and specialized tools.

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

Burgess supports calls for the whales to be transferred immediately from the park, with its crumbling tanks and dwindling staff.

In late September, the nation’s fisheries minister turned down a request to export the whales to an overseas location.

“Allowing the proposal would have meant a continued life in confinement and a reversion to performance for audiences,” the minister wrote. “As Canadians, we know that marine mammals are meant for the sea, not in enclosures for our enjoyment. I could not in clear conscience authorize an relocation that would prolong the conditions these belugas have experienced.”

But the former trainer said the official’s remarks indicate a wider incorrect perception of the realities of existence for belugas living their whole lives in enclosures.

“The public needs to understand these are whales that have spent their whole lives in enclosed habitats and they will need constant supervision for the rest of their years,” she said. “People just don’t understand that it’s not as straightforward as saying ‘shut it down’.”

Alternative Habitat and Continuing Discussion

As decision makers struggle to find a answer, suggestions have been put forward, some of which have questionable practicality. An idea called for the belugas to be released into the wilds of the Arctic – where whales are a key source of nourishment for local populations.

A suggested sanctuary in the region of eastern Canada, which now received government approval, has shown to be highly debated. The future facility, which includes 100 acres of enclosed sea water, is not yet built. Supporters remain positive that it could eventually represent a sustainable resolution for eight of the whales.

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

Some experts say the prospect of a sanctuary reflects a broader global shift away from captive facilities and could represent a feasible plan in the short term.

Charles Vinick, leader of the sanctuary project, said the site will mimic the mental engagement and feeding regimen the whales obtain from specialists, albeit in a more expansive space. He said after the health of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|