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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie Botts is an charming little “sweetheart”. Orion – nicknamed “Onion Ring” – is a large but guardian-like friend. Another whale, Zephyr has “endless energy” and wiggles like a worm. Lillooet is the “loving presence” with a gentle spirit.

Thirty captive beluga whales in a Canadian amusement park have become pawns in a tussle between a shuttered park, local and national governments and animal rights activists.

But those most familiar with the whales say the impassioned debate over their fate often overlooks the nuances of the whales who, after growing up in captivity, have been carefully observed by the people who interact with them daily.

After the national authorities prevented the export of the belugas to China, the controversial facility near the famous falls where they are held stated it would consider to put them down unless the government covers the cost of keeping them alive. The nation’s fisheries minister has refused that demand, placing the 30 whales in an increasingly precarious position.

Highly Cognitive Sea Creatures

Experts say that belugas’ neural makeup, along with their mimicry abilities, problem solving and communal behavior indicate they are remarkably smart creatures – something one caretaker discovered first-hand.

Burgess spent several years as a marine mammal specialist, a position that involved building relationships of the marine predators.

“Developing those relationships over time takes a lot of consistency and a lot of affection. At the outset, they’re very wary of you,” she said. “Eventually, you gain shared confidence. And they start being more open with you. It’s just so wonderful and fulfilling.”

The trainer knew the whales were highly intelligent, but she says she was even so surprised by the nuances and unique traits in their dispositions. She developed a particular love for a pair of whales with opposing temperaments.

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

Public Concerns and Facility Decline

Her connection with the whales developed against a background of rising activist criticism to their enclosure.

During her tenure at the facility, seven belugas and the park’s one killer whale, the orca, died. In total, 19 belugas have died at the park since 2019, a toll which the park ascribes to natural mortality, but which campaigners say reflects the substandard environment in which they were kept.

The facility did not admit visitors to the guests over the recent season, but the former trainer says she saw with her own eyes results of the cessation. “Structural materials is breaking off from the tanks because they’re in disrepair and not being repaired. The whales are inquisitive and so they grab fragments and swim around with chunks in their mouth. It’s heartbreaking to see.”

The park did not comment to a request for comment, but earlier asserted: “The whales … get far better health care and 24/7 care than any person in the Britain, or elsewhere.”

Uncertain Future and Proposed Solutions

The former employee was dismissed from the park in recent months following the demise of Eos, an unwell beluga the caretakers had to humanely kill. She said the facility suspected details of the incident were disclosed to the press and she was released soon after.

The uncertainty over the whales’ fate has left her and other caretakers in despair. She says the park’s ultimatum to euthanize its whales is a leverage tool and is a “practically unfeasible” endeavor, adding any attempts to put down even a one beluga would require “significant manpower”, trucks and specialized tools.

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

Burgess backs requests for the whales to be taken right away from the facility, with its failing enclosures and dwindling staff.

In late September, Canada’s fisheries minister denied a bid to transfer the whales to an overseas location.

“Granting the request would have meant a ongoing life in confinement and a return to display for amusement,” the minister wrote. “As Canadians, we know that marine mammals should be in the wild, not in enclosures for our entertainment. I could not in ethical standing permit an export that would prolong the conditions these belugas have endured.”

But Burgess said the official’s remarks reflect a wider incorrect perception of the realities of life for belugas living their whole lives in enclosures.

“The society needs to understand these are whales that have spent their whole lives in confinement and they will need constant supervision for the rest of their years,” she said. “People just don’t understand that it’s not as straightforward as saying ‘shut it down’.”

Alternative Habitat and Continuing Discussion

As decision makers struggle to find a answer, proposals have been put forward, some of which have little basis in reality. One proposal called for the belugas to be let go into the wilds of northern regions – where whales are a important part of nourishment for Inuit communities.

A proposed protected area in the province of Nova Scotia, which recently received official endorsement, has shown to be contentious. The planned location, which includes extensive space of penned in ocean, is not yet built. Advocates remain optimistic that it could in time represent a permanent answer for some of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among trainers she’s discussed with, there is “doubts there” about what she said is “only an experiment” in the whales’ fate.

Others say the possibility of a refuge indicates a broader global shift away from captive facilities and could represent a workable solution in the short term.

The project lead, director of the sanctuary project, said the location will mimic the cognitive activities and nutrition the whales get from trainers, albeit in a much larger area. He said after the health of whales is completely examined, which could take months|an extended period|