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

Thirty enclosed marine mammals in a Canadian entertainment facility have been entangled in a disagreement between a defunct facility, local and national governments and advocacy groups.

But those closest to the whales say the heated discussion over their fate often overlooks the nuances of the whales who, after growing up in captivity, have been carefully observed by the people who interact with them daily.

After the Canadian government blocked the sale of the belugas to a foreign facility, the controversial amusement park near the famous falls where they are kept stated it would consider to end their lives unless the federal government funds the expense of keeping them alive. Canada’s marine resources official has refused that ultimatum, placing the thirty whales in an dangerously unstable situation.

Highly Cognitive Marine Mammals

Experts say that belugas’ neural makeup, along with their mimicry abilities, cognitive challenges and group interactions suggest they are highly cognitive mammals – something a former trainer observed personally.

She spent a significant period as a whale caretaker, a job that entailed gaining confidence of the marine predators.

“Building up those relationships over time takes a lot of consistency and a lot of affection. At the start, they’re very unsure of you,” she said. “Eventually, you gain reciprocal understanding. And they start being more trusting with you. It’s just so magical and rewarding.”

The trainer knew the whales were exceptionally cognitive, but she says she was even so surprised by the details and idiosyncrasies in their personalities. She developed a particular love for Eve and Cleopatra with opposing personalities.

“One whale accepted me. Cleo made me earn it,” she said. “Both changed the way I view connection.”

Public Concerns and Facility Decline

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

During her tenure at the facility, multiple belugas and the park’s one orca, Kiska, passed away. In all, nineteen belugas have died at the park since 2019, a toll which the facility ascribes to age-related causes, but which activists say reflects the poor conditions in which they were housed.

The facility did not operate to the guests over the summer, but the former trainer says she observed directly consequences of the shutdown. “Concrete is breaking off from the enclosures because they’re degrading and not being repaired. The whales are curious and so they pick it up and swim around with chunks in their jaws. It’s distressing to see.”

The facility did not respond to a request for comment, but earlier claimed: “The whales … receive far higher quality veterinary services and 24/7 supervision than any human in the UK, or other places.”

Fate in Limbo and Potential Resolutions

Burgess was terminated from the facility in early March following the demise of a beluga, an ailing beluga the park staff had to put down. She said the facility thought particulars of the incident were leaked to the news outlets and she was released soon after.

The ambiguity over the whales’ outcome has left Burgess and staff members in distress. She says the facility’s warning to euthanize its whales is a leverage tool and is a “extremely difficult” task, adding any attempts to humanely kill even a individual beluga would require “immense manpower”, vehicles and specialized tools.

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

Burgess backs demands for the whales to be removed right away from the facility, with its deteriorating pools and shrinking team.

In late September, Canada’s fisheries minister turned down a request to transfer the whales to an overseas location.

“Granting the proposal would have meant a perpetual situation in confinement and a return to public entertainment,” the minister wrote. “As Canadians, we know that marine mammals belong in the ocean, not in pools for our amusement. I could not in good conscience permit an relocation that would perpetuate the conditions these belugas have experienced.”

But the former trainer said the official’s statements reveal a more general incorrect perception of the circumstances of existence for belugas raised in confinement.

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

Sanctuary Proposal and Continuing Discussion

As officials work to find a answer, proposals have surfaced, some of which have minimal feasibility. One proposal called for the belugas to be released into the wilds of Canada’s north – where whales are a important part of nourishment for Inuit communities.

A suggested sanctuary in the province of Nova Scotia, which has received official endorsement, has proven most controversial. The future location, which includes 100 acres of protected cove, doesn’t yet exist. Advocates remain optimistic that it could ultimately represent a permanent solution for a number of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among trainers 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 idea of a refuge represents a worldwide trend away from zoos and aquariums and could represent a workable approach in the near future.

An official, director of the plan, said the facility will replicate the intellectual stimulation and feeding regimen the whales get from specialists, albeit in a significantly bigger space. He said after the health of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|