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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie is an cute little “sweetheart”. Orion – nicknamed “Onion Ring” – is a sizeable but fiercely protective friend. Zephyr has “endless energy” and moves like a worm. Lillooet the beluga is the “most affectionate” with a gentle spirit.

Thirty enclosed beluga whales in a Canadian amusement park have been entangled in a tussle between a closed attraction, local and national governments and advocacy groups.

But those most familiar with the whales say the intense debate over their future often overlooks the complexities of the whales who, after growing up in confinement, have been closely studied by the humans who see them each day.

After the Canadian government disallowed the export of the belugas to China, the struggling amusement park near the famous falls where they are kept stated it would consider to put them down unless the authorities funds the cost of their survival. The nation’s marine resources official has refused that ultimatum, placing the 30 whales in an increasingly precarious situation.

Intelligent Marine Mammals

Scientists say that beluga whales’ brain structure, along with their sound replication, problem solving and social skills suggest they are highly cognitive mammals – something a former trainer observed directly.

She spent a significant period as a beluga trainer, a role that entailed earning the trust of the sea creatures.

“Building up those relationships over time takes a lot of regularity and a lot of care. At the outset, they’re very cautious of you,” she said. “Over time, you gain shared confidence. And they start being more trusting with you. It’s just so extraordinary and gratifying.”

The trainer knew the whales were exceptionally cognitive, but she says she was nevertheless astounded by the nuances and quirks in their personalities. She cultivated a particular love for a pair of whales with different personalities.

“Eve chose me. The other required effort,” she said. “Both transformed the way I view connection.”

Growing Opposition and Facility Decline

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

During her three years at the park, seven belugas and the park’s one orca, the orca, succumbed. In total, 19 belugas have perished at the park since recent years, a statistic which the facility ascribes to expected lifespan, but which campaigners say points to the inadequate care in which they were kept.

The park did not admit visitors to the public over the recent season, but the former trainer says she observed directly consequences of the shutdown. “Structural materials is breaking off from the pools because they’re falling apart and not being fixed. The whales are inquisitive and so they pick it up and move about with fragments in their mouth. It’s heartbreaking to see.”

The park did not reply to a questionnaire, but in the past claimed: “The whales … obtain far higher quality health care and 24/7 care than any individual in the UK, or other places.”

Uncertain Future and Proposed Solutions

Burgess was dismissed from the facility in early March following the death of Eos, an ailing beluga the park staff had to humanely kill. She said the facility believed particulars of the incident were leaked to the media and she was released not long after.

The lack of clarity over the whales’ fate has left her and other caretakers in despair. She says the facility’s ultimatum to kill its whales is a bargaining chip and is a “practically unfeasible” endeavor, adding any plans to euthanize even a single beluga would require “significant staff”, trucks and specialized tools.

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

She supports demands for the whales to be transferred immediately from the park, with its failing enclosures and shrinking team.

In recent months, Canada’s fisheries minister denied a request to transfer the whales to China.

“To approve the proposal would have meant a perpetual situation in confinement and a reversion to display for amusement,” the minister commented. “As society, we know that belugas are meant for the wild, not in pools for our entertainment. I could not in ethical standing permit an relocation that would prolong the treatment these belugas have endured.”

But the former trainer said the official’s comments indicate a more general lack of awareness of the realities of life for belugas living their whole lives in enclosures.

“The society needs to realize these are whales that have lived entirely in confinement and they will need human care for the remainder of their lives,” she said. “People just don’t comprehend that it’s not as simple as saying ‘close it down’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Continuing Discussion

As decision makers struggle to find a answer, ideas have been put forward, some of which have minimal feasibility. A suggested plan called for the belugas to be released into the natural habitat of northern regions – where whales are a primary resource of sustenance for Indigenous peoples.

A proposed protected area in the region of eastern Canada, which now received regulatory clearance, has been most controversial. The prospective location, which includes extensive space of penned in ocean, doesn’t yet exist. Supporters remain hopeful that it could in time represent a sustainable resolution for eight of the whales.

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

Different voices say the idea of a refuge represents a worldwide trend away from animal displays and could represent a workable approach in the coming months.

Charles Vinick, leader of the initiative, said the site will mimic the cognitive activities and nutrition the whales obtain from caretakers, albeit in a significantly bigger space. He said after the medical condition of whales is fully assessed, which could take months|an extended period|