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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie Botts is an charming little “playful character”. The whale Orion – called “Onion” – is a sizeable but very loyal companion. Zephyr has “endless energy” and sways like a worm. Lillooet is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a heart of gold.

Thirty captive marine mammals in a Canadian amusement park have been caught in a struggle between a shuttered park, public officials and welfare campaigners.

But those working directly with the whales say the impassioned debate over their fate often ignores the nuances of the whales who, after living their entire lives in confinement, have been carefully observed by the people who work with them regularly.

After the national authorities disallowed the transfer of the belugas to a foreign facility, the controversial amusement park near the famous falls where they are held stated it would consider to put them down unless the federal government funds the upkeep of their survival. Canada’s fisheries minister has denied that request, placing the 30 whales in an dangerously unstable situation.

Highly Cognitive Marine Mammals

Scientists say that belugas’ brain structure, along with their mimicry abilities, cognitive challenges and communal behavior point to they are highly cognitive mammals – something Kristy Burgess learned personally.

She spent several years as a whale caretaker, a role that involved gaining confidence of the marine predators.

“Developing those relationships over time takes a lot of dedication and a lot of care. At the beginning, they’re very unsure of you,” she said. “Eventually, you gain shared confidence. And they start being more open with you. It’s just so extraordinary and gratifying.”

The trainer knew the whales were very smart, but she says she was even so astounded by the nuances and unique traits in their personalities. She cultivated a special affection for Eve and Cleopatra with different personalities.

“Eve selected me. Cleo made me earn it,” she said. “Both changed the way I perceive connection.”

Growing Opposition and Facility Decline

Her interaction with the whales developed against a background of rising activist criticism to their confinement.

During her three years at the park, seven belugas and the park’s single killer whale, Kiska, succumbed. In all, 19 belugas have perished at the park since 2019, a toll which the park ascribes to age-related causes, but which campaigners say indicates the inadequate care in which they were kept.

The park did not open to the guests over the recent season, but Burgess says she witnessed firsthand effects of the cessation. “Concrete is deteriorating from the pools because they’re degrading and not being fixed. The whales are exploratory and so they grab fragments and navigate with fragments in their jaws. It’s heartbreaking to see.”

The facility did not respond to a inquiry, but previously asserted: “The whales … obtain far higher quality medical attention and constant attention than any human in the UK, or elsewhere.”

Fate in Limbo and Proposed Solutions

Burgess was dismissed from the facility in the spring following the death of a beluga, an unwell beluga the caretakers had to put down. She said the park believed information of the incident were shared to the news outlets and she was released shortly thereafter.

The uncertainty over the whales’ future has left Burgess and current and former trainers in anguish. She says the park’s threat to euthanize its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “logistically impossible” undertaking, adding any plans to put down even a single beluga would require “significant staff”, equipment and specialized tools.

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

She advocates for demands for the whales to be taken promptly from the facility, with its crumbling tanks and dwindling staff.

In late September, the nation’s government official turned down a proposal to export the whales to an overseas location.

“Granting the proposal would have meant a ongoing situation in confinement and a reversion to public entertainment,” the minister stated. “As society, we know that belugas should be in the sea, not in enclosures for our entertainment. I could not in clear conscience permit an export that would perpetuate the conditions these belugas have endured.”

But Burgess said the minister’s comments indicate a wider lack of awareness of the facts of life for belugas born in captivity.

“The people needs to realize these are whales that have spent their whole lives in captivity and they will need human care for the foreseeable future,” she said. “Many just don’t realize that it’s not as straightforward as saying ‘shut it down’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Ongoing Debate

As decision makers attempt to find a resolution, ideas have surfaced, some of which have minimal feasibility. One proposal called for the belugas to be freed into the wilds of northern regions – where whales are a primary resource of sustenance for Inuit communities.

A proposed refuge in the region of Nova Scotia, which recently received government approval, has shown to be highly debated. The planned location, which includes a large area of enclosed sea water, is not yet built. Advocates remain positive that it could eventually represent a permanent answer for eight of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among staff she’s spoken with, there is “skepticism there” about what she said is “merely an untested concept” in the whales’ future.

Different voices say the idea of a refuge represents a changing attitudes away from zoos and aquariums and could represent a workable solution in the coming months.

An official, director of the initiative, said the facility will mimic the intellectual stimulation and feeding regimen the whales obtain from specialists, albeit in a significantly bigger environment. He said after the medical condition of whales is fully assessed, which could take months|an extended period|