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Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie is an adorable little “ham sandwich”. The whale Orion – called “Onion” – is a large but fiercely protective companion. Zephyr has “endless energy” and sways like a worm. Lillooet the beluga is the “most affectionate” with a kind nature.

Thirty captive beluga whales in a Canada-based amusement park have become pawns in a tussle between a shuttered park, local and national governments and welfare campaigners.

But those closest to the whales say the heated debate over their fate often fails to consider the individual traits of the whales who, after living their entire lives in enclosed habitats, have been closely studied by the caretakers who work with them regularly.

After the Canadian government blocked the transfer of the belugas to China, the controversial attraction near the famous falls where they are held warned to put them down unless the authorities pays for the cost of their care. Canada’s marine resources official has denied that demand, placing the 30 whales in an ever more uncertain position.

Intelligent Marine Mammals

Scientists say that belugas’ neuroanatomy, along with their mimicry abilities, cognitive challenges and social skills indicate they are highly cognitive creatures – something one caretaker observed personally.

She spent three years as a marine mammal specialist, a job that required earning the trust of the aquatic animals.

“Establishing those relationships over time takes a lot of consistency and a lot of love. At the outset, 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 wonderful and rewarding.”

Burgess knew the whales were exceptionally cognitive, but she says she was even so amazed by the details and unique traits in their dispositions. She developed a particular love for Eve and Cleopatra with contrasting temperaments.

“One whale selected me. Cleo demanded work,” she said. “They changed the way I view bonding.”

Public Concerns and Deteriorating Conditions

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

During her time at the park, seven belugas and the park’s one orca, Kiska, succumbed. In all, 19 belugas have perished at the park since 2019, a number which the facility ascribes 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 recent season, but the former trainer says she observed directly results of the closure. “Concrete is deteriorating from the pools because they’re degrading and not being repaired. The whales are curious and so they grab fragments and swim around with fragments in their mouth. It’s heartbreaking to see.”

The park did not reply to a inquiry, but in the past claimed: “The whales … get far superior veterinary services and around the clock attention than any individual in the United Kingdom, or elsewhere.”

Fate in Limbo and Proposed Solutions

Burgess was dismissed from the park in recent months following the demise of Eos, an sick beluga the park staff had to euthanize. She said the facility believed details of the death were leaked to the news outlets and she was fired soon after.

The uncertainty over the whales’ outcome has left Burgess and staff members in anguish. She says the park’s ultimatum to euthanize its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “extremely difficult” endeavor, adding any plans to humanely kill even a one beluga would require “considerable staff”, trucks and heavy equipment.

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

Burgess backs calls for the whales to be removed immediately from the facility, with its deteriorating pools and dwindling staff.

In the autumn, the nation’s government official denied a bid to export the whales to an overseas location.

“Allowing the proposal would have meant a ongoing situation in captivity and a reversion to public entertainment,” the official wrote. “As society, we know that whales are meant for the ocean, not in enclosures for our amusement. I could not in clear conscience permit an transfer that would perpetuate the treatment these belugas have endured.”

But Burgess said the minister’s statements indicate a wider misunderstanding of the circumstances of life for belugas raised in confinement.

“The people needs to understand these are whales that have existed solely in enclosed habitats and they will need human care for the rest of their years,” she said. “The public just don’t comprehend that it’s not as simple as saying ‘end operations’.”

Alternative Habitat and Ongoing Debate

As decision makers struggle to find a resolution, ideas have been put forward, some of which have minimal feasibility. One proposal called for the belugas to be let go into the wilds of the Arctic – where whales are a important part of nourishment for Indigenous peoples.

A planned protected area in the province of eastern Canada, which has received regulatory clearance, has proven highly debated. The prospective site, which includes 100 acres of penned in ocean, is not yet built. Supporters remain positive that it could ultimately represent a permanent resolution 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’ fate.

Some experts say the prospect of a protected habitat indicates a worldwide trend away from zoos and aquariums and could represent a workable plan in the near future.

The project lead, director of the sanctuary project, said the facility will simulate the cognitive activities and nutrition the whales receive from specialists, albeit in a more expansive environment. He said after the health of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|