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Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie Botts is an cute small “sweetheart”. Orion – nicknamed “Onion” – is a sizeable but guardian-like companion. Zephyr has “endless energy” and wiggles like a wiggly creature. Lillooet the beluga is the “loving presence” with a kind nature.

Thirty enclosed marine mammals in a Canadian amusement park have become pawns in a disagreement between a closed attraction, government authorities and animal rights activists.

But those most familiar with the whales say the intense controversy over their destiny often ignores the individual traits of the whales who, after spending their lives in enclosed habitats, have been closely studied by the humans who see them each day.

After the federal government prevented the transfer of the belugas to a foreign facility, the controversial amusement park near Niagara Falls where they are housed threatened to put them down unless the federal government pays for the cost of their care. The nation’s fisheries minister has denied that ultimatum, placing the thirty whales in an ever more uncertain circumstance.

Highly Cognitive Marine Mammals

Experts say that beluga whales’ brain structure, along with their mimicry abilities, intellectual tasks and social skills point to they are remarkably smart mammals – something Kristy Burgess learned personally.

Burgess spent a significant period as a whale caretaker, a role that involved gaining confidence of the marine predators.

“Building up those relationships over time takes a lot of dedication and a lot of affection. At the outset, 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 extraordinary and fulfilling.”

The trainer knew the whales were highly intelligent, but she says she was even so amazed by the nuances and idiosyncrasies in their personalities. She developed a special affection for Eve and Cleopatra with different personalities.

“Eve accepted me. The other made me earn it,” she said. “Each altered the way I perceive bonding.”

Public Concerns and Deteriorating Conditions

Burgess’s connection with the whales developed against a backdrop of rising activist criticism to their enclosure.

During her three years at the attraction, seven belugas and the park’s single killer whale, the orca, died. In total, 19 belugas have died at the park since 2019, a toll which the facility ascribes to natural mortality, but which activists say points to the inadequate care in which they were housed.

The facility did not operate to the guests over the recent season, but the former trainer says she witnessed firsthand consequences of the shutdown. “Structural materials is falling apart from the enclosures because they’re degrading and not being repaired. The whales are inquisitive and so they grab fragments and navigate with pieces in their mouth. It’s heartbreaking to see.”

The facility did not comment to a inquiry, but earlier claimed: “The whales … get far higher quality health care and 24/7 supervision than any person in the United Kingdom, or other places.”

Fate in Limbo and Potential Resolutions

The former employee was terminated from the facility in the spring following the death of Eos, an ailing beluga the park staff had to humanely kill. She said the facility thought information of the death were leaked to the media and she was released soon after.

The uncertainty over the whales’ outcome has left Burgess and other caretakers in distress. She says the park’s warning to kill its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “logistically impossible” task, adding any plans to humanely kill even a single beluga would require “immense staff”, vehicles and heavy equipment.

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

She advocates for calls for the whales to be taken immediately from the park, with its crumbling tanks and dwindling staff.

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

“To approve the proposal would have meant a perpetual situation in confinement and a reversion to display for amusement,” the official wrote. “As Canadians, we know that marine mammals are meant for the sea, not in tanks for our amusement. I could not in ethical standing approve an transfer that would prolong the situation these belugas have suffered.”

But Burgess said the minister’s remarks reveal a broader misunderstanding of the facts of existence for belugas born in captivity.

“The people needs to realize these are whales that have existed solely in confinement and they will need constant supervision for the foreseeable future,” she said. “People just don’t comprehend that it’s not as simple as saying ‘end operations’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Continuing Discussion

As authorities attempt to find a resolution, suggestions have emerged, some of which have minimal feasibility. One proposal called for the belugas to be freed into the natural habitat of Canada’s north – where whales are a key source of nourishment for Inuit communities.

A suggested sanctuary in the province of Nova Scotia, which now received government approval, has been most controversial. The prospective site, which includes 100 acres of enclosed sea water, is not yet built. Proponents remain positive that it could ultimately represent a long term solution for a number of the whales.

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

Different voices say the idea of a refuge reflects a broader global shift away from zoos and aquariums and could represent a workable solution in the coming months.

Charles Vinick, leader of the sanctuary project, said the site will simulate the cognitive activities and feeding regimen the whales obtain from trainers, albeit in a more expansive area. He said after the health of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|