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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie Botts is an adorable small “ham sandwich”. The whale Orion – called “Onion” – is a sizeable but very loyal companion. Zephyr has “constant motion” and moves like a worm. Lillooet is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a gentle spirit.

A group of thirty captive beluga whales in a Canada-based amusement park have become pawns in a struggle between a closed attraction, local and national governments and welfare campaigners.

But those most familiar with the whales say the intense discussion over their future often ignores the complexities of the whales who, after spending their lives in confinement, have been thoroughly researched by the humans who see them each day.

After the national authorities disallowed the sale of the belugas to a foreign facility, the controversial facility near the famous falls where they are kept threatened to end their lives unless the authorities pays for the upkeep of keeping them alive. Canada’s fisheries minister has denied that demand, placing the 30 whales in an ever more uncertain situation.

Highly Cognitive Sea Creatures

Experts say that belugas’ neuroanatomy, along with their mimicry abilities, problem solving and social skills indicate they are deeply intelligent creatures – something a former trainer learned personally.

Burgess spent a significant period as a whale caretaker, a role that entailed building relationships of the marine predators.

“Developing those relationships 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 mutual trust. And they start being more open with you. It’s just so magical and rewarding.”

Burgess knew the whales were highly intelligent, but she says she was nevertheless surprised by the details and idiosyncrasies in their dispositions. She cultivated a particular love for two female belugas with contrasting natures.

“Eve selected me. The other required effort,” she said. “Both changed the way I perceive bonding.”

Public Concerns and Deteriorating Conditions

Burgess’s relationship with the whales progressed against a background of growing public opposition to their captivity.

During her tenure at the park, multiple belugas and the park’s one killer whale, the orca, succumbed. In all, 19 belugas have perished at the park since 2019, a statistic which the facility ascribes to age-related causes, but which activists say reflects the inadequate care in which they were housed.

The park did not open to the guests over the recent season, but the former trainer says she witnessed firsthand consequences of the cessation. “Structural materials is falling apart from the enclosures because they’re degrading and not being fixed. The whales are curious and so they take pieces and move about with pieces in their mouth. It’s heartbreaking to see.”

The park did not respond to a questionnaire, but earlier claimed: “The whales … receive far superior veterinary services and 24/7 care than any individual in the United Kingdom, or other places.”

Fate in Limbo and Potential Resolutions

The former employee was fired from the park in early March following the death of a beluga, an ailing beluga the caretakers had to put down. She said the facility believed particulars of the incident were shared to the news outlets and she was fired not long after.

The lack of clarity over the whales’ fate has left Burgess and staff members in distress. She says the facility’s threat to euthanize its whales is a bargaining chip and is a “logistically impossible” task, adding any plans to euthanize even a one beluga would require “immense personnel”, vehicles and machinery.

“It cannot happen in hell the staff would ever do it,” she said.

She supports requests for the whales to be taken promptly from the facility, with its deteriorating pools and shrinking team.

In the autumn, Canada’s government official denied a bid to send the whales to China.

“To approve the application would have meant a continued situation in confinement and a return to display for amusement,” the minister commented. “As the public, we know that belugas should be in the ocean, not in tanks for our amusement. I could not in ethical standing approve an export that would prolong the situation these belugas have experienced.”

But Burgess said the official’s statements indicate a broader incorrect perception of the circumstances of existence for belugas born in captivity.

“The society needs to understand these are whales that have existed solely in enclosed habitats and they will need constant supervision for the rest of their years,” she said. “Many just don’t understand that it’s not as straightforward as saying ‘close it down’.”

Alternative Habitat and Ongoing Debate

As officials attempt to find a answer, proposals have surfaced, some of which have questionable practicality. An idea called for the belugas to be freed into the open waters of northern regions – where whales are a important part of food for local populations.

A planned refuge in the region of Nova Scotia, which now received regulatory clearance, has been most controversial. The prospective site, which includes 100 acres of enclosed sea water, is not yet built. Advocates remain optimistic that it could ultimately represent a sustainable resolution for eight of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among staff she’s discussed with, there is “no trust there” about what she said is “merely an experiment” in the whales’ well-being.

Some experts say the idea of a refuge reflects a broader global shift away from animal displays and could represent a viable plan in the coming months.

Charles Vinick, head of the plan, said the facility will simulate the intellectual stimulation and feeding regimen the whales get from trainers, albeit in a much larger space. He said after the health of whales is fully assessed, which could take months|an extended period|