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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie is an cute little “ham sandwich”. The whale Orion – nicknamed “Onion Ring” – is a sizeable but guardian-like friend. Zephyr has “endless energy” and moves like a wiggly creature. Lillooet the beluga is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a kind nature.

A group of thirty captive beluga whales in a Canadian amusement park have become pawns in a disagreement between a defunct facility, government authorities and advocacy groups.

But those most familiar with the whales say the heated debate over their future often ignores the nuances of the whales who, after living their entire lives in captivity, have been carefully observed by the caretakers who interact with them daily.

After the federal government disallowed the transfer of the belugas to China, the struggling facility near the famous falls where they are held stated it would consider to euthanize them unless the authorities funds the upkeep of their survival. The nation’s fisheries minister has denied that request, placing the 30 whales in an increasingly precarious circumstance.

Intelligent Sea Creatures

Scientists say that beluga whales’ neuroanatomy, along with their sound replication, intellectual tasks and social skills indicate they are deeply intelligent mammals – something a former trainer discovered personally.

She spent several years as a marine mammal specialist, a position that involved earning the trust of the sea creatures.

“Establishing those relationships over time takes a lot of consistency and a lot of love. At the beginning, they’re very unsure of you,” she said. “Eventually, you gain mutual trust. And they start being more trusting with you. It’s just so extraordinary and fulfilling.”

The trainer knew the whales were exceptionally cognitive, but she says she was nonetheless amazed by the nuances and idiosyncrasies in their personalities. She developed a particular love for two female belugas with contrasting personalities.

“One whale accepted me. Cleo made me earn it,” she said. “They changed the way I perceive bonding.”

Public Concerns and Deteriorating Conditions

Burgess’s interaction with the whales evolved against a backdrop of rising activist criticism to their captivity.

During her three years at the facility, multiple belugas and the park’s one killer whale, the orca, passed away. In all, 19 belugas have died at the park since 2019, a statistic which the park links to expected lifespan, but which campaigners say reflects the inadequate care 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 consequences of the shutdown. “Structural materials is breaking off from the enclosures because they’re in disrepair and not being maintained. The whales are exploratory and so they pick it up and move about with chunks in their jaws. It’s heartbreaking to see.”

The facility did not respond to a inquiry, but earlier claimed: “The whales … obtain far higher quality medical attention and around the clock supervision than any individual in the UK, or anywhere else.”

Uncertain Future and Potential Resolutions

The former employee was terminated from the facility in recent months following the demise of Eos, an unwell beluga the park staff had to put down. She said the facility thought information of the incident were leaked to the press and she was fired shortly thereafter.

The lack of clarity over the whales’ future has left Burgess and current and former trainers in despair. She says the park’s threat to end the lives of its whales is a leverage tool and is a “practically unfeasible” task, adding any efforts to humanely kill even a single beluga would require “immense manpower”, equipment and heavy equipment.

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

She backs demands for the whales to be transferred immediately from the facility, with its crumbling tanks and dwindling staff.

In the autumn, Canada’s government official rejected a proposal to transfer the whales to China.

“Granting the request would have meant a continued life in confinement and a return to display for amusement,” the official commented. “As society, we know that belugas belong in the wild, not in tanks for our enjoyment. I could not in ethical standing authorize an transfer that would continue the treatment these belugas have experienced.”

But the former trainer said the minister’s statements indicate a wider lack of awareness of the realities of life for belugas raised in confinement.

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

Alternative Habitat and Ongoing Debate

As authorities struggle to find a resolution, 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 local populations.

A proposed sanctuary in the province of eastern Canada, which recently received government approval, has proven contentious. The prospective location, which includes a large area of protected cove, remains undeveloped. Proponents remain optimistic that it could ultimately represent a long term answer for some of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among caretakers she’s spoken with, there is “no trust there” about what she said is “merely an trial” in the whales’ well-being.

Others say the possibility of a refuge indicates a changing attitudes away from animal displays and could represent a viable solution in the short term.

An official, leader of the initiative, said the facility will mimic the intellectual stimulation and feeding regimen the whales receive from trainers, albeit in a much larger space. He said after the health of whales is fully assessed, which could take months|an extended period|