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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie is an cute small “playful character”. The whale Orion – nicknamed “Onion” – is a sizeable but guardian-like companion. Another whale, Zephyr has “endless energy” and moves like a wiggly creature. Lillooet the beluga is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a heart of gold.

A group of thirty enclosed marine mammals in a Canada-based entertainment facility have become pawns in a tussle between a defunct facility, local and national governments and animal rights activists.

But those working directly with the whales say the heated debate over their destiny often ignores the nuances of the whales who, after living their entire lives in confinement, have been closely studied by the people who interact with them daily.

After the national authorities prevented the sale of the belugas to China, the struggling facility near the famous falls where they are kept warned to euthanize them unless the authorities funds the expense of keeping them alive. The nation’s fisheries minister has rejected that ultimatum, placing the 30 whales in an increasingly precarious position.

Highly Cognitive Marine Mammals

Scientists say that belugas’ neural makeup, along with their vocal imitation skills, intellectual tasks and communal behavior point to they are remarkably smart animals – something a former trainer discovered first-hand.

Burgess spent several years as a beluga trainer, a job that involved building relationships of the marine predators.

“Developing those relationships over time takes a lot of regularity and a lot of care. At the outset, they’re very wary of you,” she said. “Eventually, you gain mutual trust. And they start being more trusting with you. It’s just so extraordinary and rewarding.”

Burgess knew the whales were exceptionally cognitive, but she says she was nonetheless surprised by the nuances and quirks in their personalities. She developed a special affection for two female belugas with different personalities.

“Eve selected me. Cleo made me earn it,” she said. “Both altered the way I understand relationships.”

Growing Opposition and Deteriorating Conditions

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

During her time at the park, seven belugas and the park’s one orca, Kiska, died. In all, nineteen belugas have died at the park since 2019, a statistic which the facility links to natural mortality, but which activists say points to the poor conditions in which they were kept.

The park did not operate to the guests over the recent season, but Burgess says she saw with her own eyes results of the shutdown. “Concrete is falling apart from the pools because they’re degrading and not being fixed. The whales are inquisitive and so they take pieces and swim around with pieces in their jaws. It’s upsetting to see.”

The park did not comment to a inquiry, but in the past claimed: “The whales … get far superior medical attention and around the clock care than any person in the United Kingdom, or other places.”

Fate in Limbo and Potential Resolutions

The former employee was terminated from the park in recent months following the demise of Eos, an unwell beluga the employees had to humanely kill. She said the facility thought details of the death were shared to the press and she was let go soon after.

The lack of clarity over the whales’ outcome has left her and staff members in distress. She says the park’s warning to end the lives of its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “practically unfeasible” task, adding any plans to euthanize even a one beluga would require “immense manpower”, vehicles and heavy equipment.

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

She advocates for requests for the whales to be transferred right away from the park, with its failing enclosures and dwindling staff.

In late September, Canada’s government official turned down a request to send the whales to China.

“Allowing the proposal would have meant a continued existence in confinement and a reversion to performance for audiences,” the official commented. “As the public, we know that belugas belong in the ocean, not in enclosures for our enjoyment. I could not in good conscience permit an transfer that would prolong the situation these belugas have experienced.”

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

“The society needs to grasp these are whales that have existed solely in confinement and they will need constant supervision for the remainder of their lives,” she said. “The public just don’t comprehend that it’s not as easy as saying ‘shut it down’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Continuing Discussion

As officials attempt to find a answer, suggestions have surfaced, some of which have little basis in reality. An idea called for the belugas to be released into the wilds of the Arctic – where whales are a primary resource of food for Inuit communities.

A suggested refuge in the region of Nova Scotia, which has received official endorsement, has been highly debated. The prospective location, which includes 100 acres of protected cove, remains undeveloped. Advocates remain hopeful that it could eventually represent a sustainable answer for some of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among trainers she’s consulted, there is “no trust there” about what she said is “only an experiment” in the whales’ well-being.

Others say the idea of a refuge reflects a broader global shift away from captive facilities and could represent a viable solution in the coming months.

An official, director of the initiative, said the site will mimic the cognitive activities and nutrition the whales obtain from specialists, albeit in a more expansive area. He said after the well-being of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|