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Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie is an cute little “sweetheart”. Orion – nicknamed “Onion” – is a large but fiercely protective companion. Zephyr has “endless energy” and sways like a wiggly creature. Lillooet is the “most affectionate” with a gentle spirit.

A group of thirty captive marine mammals in a Canada-based amusement park have been caught in a tussle between a defunct facility, public officials and animal rights activists.

But those most familiar with the whales say the impassioned discussion over their future often overlooks the nuances of the whales who, after spending their lives in captivity, have been thoroughly researched by the humans who interact with them daily.

After the national authorities disallowed the sale of the belugas to a foreign facility, the embattled attraction near the famous falls where they are housed threatened to put them down unless the government covers the expense of their care. Canada’s fisheries minister has denied that demand, placing the thirty whales in an increasingly precarious circumstance.

Highly Cognitive Sea Creatures

Researchers say that beluga whales’ neural makeup, along with their mimicry abilities, intellectual tasks and social skills point to they are deeply intelligent animals – something Kristy Burgess learned first-hand.

She spent a significant period as a marine mammal specialist, a role that entailed building relationships of the marine predators.

“Developing those connections over time takes a lot of consistency and a lot of care. At the start, they’re very unsure of you,” she said. “Over time, you gain mutual trust. And they start being more trusting with you. It’s just so wonderful and rewarding.”

Burgess knew the whales were very smart, but she says she was nevertheless astounded by the nuances and quirks in their personalities. She cultivated a deep bond for a pair of whales with contrasting natures.

“Eve chose me. The other made me earn it,” she said. “They altered the way I perceive relationships.”

Public Concerns and Facility Decline

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

During her tenure at the attraction, seven belugas and the park’s one killer whale, the orca, died. In total, 19 belugas have perished at the park since 2019, a number which the facility ascribes to expected lifespan, but which campaigners say indicates the substandard environment in which they were housed.

The park did not operate to the public over the recent season, but the former trainer says she observed directly consequences of the cessation. “Concrete is deteriorating from the enclosures because they’re in disrepair and not being repaired. The whales are inquisitive and so they pick it up and move about with fragments in their jaws. It’s upsetting to see.”

The park did not reply to a questionnaire, but previously stated: “The whales … get far higher quality medical attention and 24/7 supervision than any person in the United Kingdom, or anywhere else.”

Fate in Limbo and Potential Resolutions

The former employee was terminated from the facility in early March following the death of a beluga, an ailing beluga the park staff had to euthanize. She said the facility suspected particulars of the death were disclosed to the press and she was released shortly thereafter.

The ambiguity over the whales’ future has left her and current and former trainers in anguish. She says the facility’s threat to euthanize its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “extremely difficult” endeavor, adding any attempts to euthanize even a single beluga would require “significant manpower”, vehicles and machinery.

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

Burgess backs demands for the whales to be taken immediately from the park, with its deteriorating pools and dwindling staff.

In recent months, the nation’s government official rejected a request to export the whales to China.

“To approve the application would have meant a perpetual situation in captivity and a reversion to display for amusement,” the official commented. “As society, we know that marine mammals are meant for the wild, not in pools for our amusement. I could not in good conscience permit an export that would prolong the situation these belugas have suffered.”

But Burgess said the minister’s comments reflect a more general misunderstanding of the circumstances of living conditions for belugas raised in confinement.

“The society needs to understand these are whales that have spent their whole lives in confinement and they will need human care for the foreseeable future,” she said. “People just don’t understand that it’s not as easy as saying ‘end operations’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Continuing Discussion

As authorities attempt to find a answer, proposals have emerged, some of which have questionable practicality. One proposal called for the belugas to be released into the natural habitat of northern regions – where whales are a key source of sustenance for Inuit communities.

A suggested sanctuary in the region of Nova Scotia, which now received regulatory clearance, has proven contentious. The prospective facility, which includes extensive space of enclosed sea water, doesn’t yet exist. Proponents remain optimistic that it could ultimately represent a permanent answer for a number of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among staff she’s discussed with, there is “skepticism there” about what she said is “simply an untested concept” in the whales’ well-being.

Some experts say the prospect of a sanctuary reflects a worldwide trend away from zoos and aquariums and could represent a feasible approach in the coming months.

Charles Vinick, head of the sanctuary project, said the facility will simulate the intellectual stimulation and nutrition the whales get from trainers, albeit in a significantly bigger space. He said after the well-being of whales is fully assessed, which could take months|an extended period|