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Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie is an adorable little “sweetheart”. The whale Orion – called “Onion” – is a big but very loyal companion. Another whale, Zephyr has “constant motion” and wiggles like a wiggly creature. Lillooet the beluga is the “most affectionate” with a kind nature.

A group of thirty enclosed beluga whales in a Canada-based amusement park have been entangled in a struggle between a shuttered park, local and national governments and advocacy groups.

But those most familiar with the whales say the heated discussion over their destiny often ignores the individual traits of the whales who, after spending their lives in confinement, have been closely studied by the humans who interact with them daily.

After the national authorities blocked the sale of the belugas to a foreign facility, the struggling attraction near the famous falls where they are housed stated it would consider to end their lives unless the government covers the expense of their care. The nation’s marine resources official has refused that request, placing the thirty whales in an ever more uncertain situation.

Highly Cognitive Sea Creatures

Experts say that belugas’ brain structure, along with their vocal imitation skills, problem solving and group interactions suggest they are deeply intelligent creatures – something one caretaker learned personally.

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

“Developing those connections over time takes a lot of regularity and a lot of care. At the beginning, they’re very cautious of you,” she said. “Eventually, you gain reciprocal understanding. And they start being more vulnerable with you. It’s just so extraordinary and rewarding.”

The trainer knew the whales were very smart, but she says she was even so amazed by the nuances and idiosyncrasies in their dispositions. She developed a deep bond for two female belugas with contrasting personalities.

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

Growing Opposition and Deteriorating Conditions

Burgess’s relationship with the whales evolved against a context of rising activist criticism to their enclosure.

During her three years at the facility, multiple belugas and the park’s one orca, Kiska, succumbed. In all, 19 belugas have perished at the park since 2019, a statistic which the facility attributes to expected lifespan, but which campaigners say points to the inadequate care in which they were maintained.

The park did not operate to the public over the recent season, but Burgess says she saw with her own eyes consequences of the closure. “Concrete is deteriorating from the tanks because they’re falling apart and not being maintained. The whales are curious and so they pick it up and move about with chunks in their jaws. It’s upsetting to see.”

The facility did not comment to a questionnaire, but in the past stated: “The whales … obtain far superior medical attention and constant care than any human in the Britain, or anywhere else.”

Uncertain Future and Potential Resolutions

The former employee was terminated from the facility in recent months following the passing of a beluga, an unwell beluga the employees had to euthanize. She said the park believed particulars of the incident were leaked to the news outlets and she was let go shortly thereafter.

The uncertainty over the whales’ future has left her and staff members in despair. She says the park’s threat to end the lives of its whales is a bargaining chip and is a “practically unfeasible” task, adding any attempts to euthanize even a single beluga would require “significant staff”, equipment and machinery.

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

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

In the autumn, Canada’s fisheries minister turned down a proposal to send the whales to an overseas location.

“Granting the proposal would have meant a ongoing life in captivity and a return to public entertainment,” the official stated. “As society, we know that whales are meant for the ocean, not in enclosures for our entertainment. I could not in good conscience authorize an transfer that would continue the treatment these belugas have suffered.”

But Burgess said the minister’s comments reflect a wider incorrect perception of the circumstances of life for belugas born in captivity.

“The people needs to grasp these are whales that have lived entirely in confinement and they will need constant supervision for the rest of their years,” she said. “The public just don’t comprehend that it’s not as simple as saying ‘shut it down’.”

Alternative Habitat and Ongoing Debate

As officials work to find a solution, ideas have surfaced, some of which have questionable practicality. One proposal called for the belugas to be freed into the wilds of northern regions – where whales are a key source of sustenance for local populations.

A proposed refuge in the province of eastern Canada, which recently received regulatory clearance, has proven contentious. The planned location, which includes 100 acres of penned in ocean, remains undeveloped. Advocates remain hopeful that it could in time represent a long term solution for some of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among trainers she’s consulted, there is “skepticism there” about what she said is “simply an trial” in the whales’ well-being.

Some experts say the idea of a sanctuary reflects a broader global shift away from captive facilities and could represent a feasible solution in the near future.

Charles Vinick, director of the plan, said the location will replicate the cognitive activities and diet the whales get from caretakers, albeit in a more expansive area. He said after the health of whales is fully assessed, which could take months|an extended period|