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Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie is an charming little “playful character”. The whale Orion – called “Onion Ring” – is a large but guardian-like friend. Another whale, Zephyr has “endless energy” and moves like a wiggly creature. Lillooet the beluga is the “loving presence” with a heart of gold.

Thirty enclosed marine mammals in a Canada-based entertainment facility have become pawns in a struggle between a shuttered park, government authorities and advocacy groups.

But those working directly with the whales say the heated debate over their future often fails to consider the complexities of the whales who, after living their entire lives in enclosed habitats, have been closely studied by the people who work with them regularly.

After the Canadian government blocked the sale of the belugas to China, the embattled attraction near the famous falls where they are housed warned to end their lives unless the government funds the upkeep of keeping them alive. The nation’s marine resources official has denied that ultimatum, placing the 30 whales in an dangerously unstable circumstance.

Intelligent Marine Mammals

Researchers say that belugas’ neuroanatomy, along with their vocal imitation skills, intellectual tasks and communal behavior suggest they are highly cognitive creatures – something Kristy Burgess discovered directly.

Burgess spent a significant period as a marine mammal specialist, a role that required earning the trust of the marine predators.

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

Burgess knew the whales were very smart, but she says she was even so amazed by the nuances and quirks in their characters. She developed a particular love for Eve and Cleopatra with contrasting personalities.

“One whale selected me. The other made me earn it,” she said. “Both altered the way I understand relationships.”

Growing Opposition and Facility Decline

Burgess’s relationship with the whales evolved against a background of rising activist criticism to their confinement.

During her three years at the attraction, multiple belugas and the park’s one killer whale, Kiska, succumbed. In all, 19 belugas have died at the park since recent years, a number which the park links to natural mortality, but which advocates say points to the substandard environment in which they were maintained.

The park did not operate to the public over the summer, but Burgess says she witnessed firsthand effects of the cessation. “Structural materials is falling apart from the enclosures because they’re falling apart and not being repaired. The whales are inquisitive and so they grab fragments and navigate with fragments in their jaws. It’s heartbreaking to see.”

The facility did not reply to a questionnaire, but in the past asserted: “The whales … obtain far better health care and constant supervision than any human in the United Kingdom, or other places.”

Uncertain Future and Potential Resolutions

Burgess was terminated from the park in early March following the passing of a beluga, an unwell beluga the caretakers had to put down. She said the park believed details of the death were leaked to the press and she was let go shortly thereafter.

The uncertainty over the whales’ outcome has left her and other caretakers in anguish. She says the park’s threat to euthanize its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “practically unfeasible” undertaking, adding any efforts to humanely kill even a individual beluga would require “immense personnel”, equipment and heavy equipment.

“There’s no way in hell the caretakers would ever do it,” she said.

She supports demands 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 rejected a proposal to transfer the whales to an overseas location.

“To approve the proposal would have meant a ongoing life in captivity and a return to public entertainment,” the official commented. “As Canadians, we know that belugas belong in the sea, not in enclosures for our enjoyment. I could not in ethical standing authorize an relocation that would perpetuate the treatment these belugas have suffered.”

But Burgess said the minister’s comments indicate a wider incorrect perception of the realities of existence for belugas born in captivity.

“The public needs to grasp these are whales that have existed solely in confinement and they will need constant supervision for the rest of their years,” she said. “Many just don’t comprehend that it’s not as simple as saying ‘shut it down’.”

Alternative Habitat and Ongoing Debate

As authorities work to find a solution, suggestions have emerged, some of which have little basis in reality. One proposal called for the belugas to be freed into the open waters of the Arctic – where whales are a key source of sustenance for Indigenous peoples.

A planned refuge in the region of Nova Scotia, which has received regulatory clearance, has shown to be contentious. The prospective site, which includes a large area of penned in ocean, is not yet built. Proponents remain positive that it could ultimately represent a permanent answer for some of the whales.

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

Some experts say the prospect of a protected habitat reflects a broader global shift away from animal displays and could represent a viable approach in the coming months.

The project lead, leader of the plan, said the facility will simulate the cognitive activities and nutrition the whales receive from trainers, albeit in a significantly bigger area. He said after the medical condition of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|