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Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie is an cute small “playful character”. The whale Orion – called “Onion Ring” – is a big but fiercely protective friend. Zephyr has “ants in his pants” and sways like a wiggly creature. Lillooet is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a kind nature.

Thirty captive beluga whales in a Canadian entertainment facility have been entangled in a struggle between a shuttered park, government authorities and advocacy groups.

But those closest to the whales say the intense debate over their fate often fails to consider the individual traits of the whales who, after spending their lives in enclosed habitats, have been carefully observed by the caretakers who work with them regularly.

After the federal government disallowed the export of the belugas to China, the controversial amusement park near the famous falls where they are held warned to euthanize them unless the federal government pays for the upkeep of their care. The nation’s fisheries minister has rejected that ultimatum, placing the thirty whales in an ever more uncertain position.

Intelligent Marine Mammals

Scientists say that belugas’ neural makeup, along with their vocal imitation skills, intellectual tasks and communal behavior point to they are deeply intelligent creatures – something a former trainer observed directly.

She spent several years as a marine mammal specialist, a job that involved gaining confidence of the aquatic animals.

“Building up those relationships over time takes a lot of regularity and a lot of love. At the outset, they’re very unsure of you,” she said. “Eventually, you gain shared confidence. And they start being more vulnerable with you. It’s just so magical and fulfilling.”

The trainer knew the whales were highly intelligent, but she says she was nonetheless astounded by the subtleties and idiosyncrasies in their personalities. She cultivated a particular love for two female belugas with opposing personalities.

“One whale accepted me. The other required effort,” she said. “Both changed the way I view connection.”

Growing Opposition and Facility Decline

Burgess’s interaction with the whales evolved against a backdrop of growing public opposition to their captivity.

During her tenure at the park, multiple belugas and the park’s one orca, Kiska, succumbed. In total, 19 belugas have perished at the park since 2019, a statistic which the park links to expected lifespan, but which activists say reflects the inadequate care in which they were housed.

The facility did not open to the guests over the recent season, but Burgess says she witnessed firsthand consequences of the cessation. “Concrete is breaking off from the enclosures because they’re in disrepair and not being repaired. The whales are inquisitive and so they grab fragments and swim around with fragments in their jaws. It’s upsetting to see.”

The facility did not respond to a questionnaire, but earlier stated: “The whales … receive far higher quality medical attention and around the clock care than any human in the UK, or elsewhere.”

Uncertain Future and Potential Resolutions

Burgess was dismissed from the park in the spring following the passing of Eos, an sick beluga the caretakers had to put down. She said the facility thought details of the incident were shared to the media and she was let go shortly thereafter.

The ambiguity over the whales’ outcome has left her and other caretakers in despair. She says the park’s warning to euthanize its whales is a bargaining chip and is a “extremely difficult” endeavor, adding any efforts to euthanize even a individual beluga would require “immense staff”, vehicles and specialized tools.

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

She advocates for demands for the whales to be transferred promptly from the park, with its crumbling tanks and shrinking team.

In late September, the nation’s fisheries minister denied a proposal to export the whales to an overseas location.

“To approve the proposal would have meant a ongoing existence in captivity and a return to display for amusement,” the official wrote. “As Canadians, we know that belugas should be in the ocean, not in tanks for our entertainment. I could not in ethical standing authorize an export that would continue the situation these belugas have endured.”

But the former trainer said the minister’s remarks reflect a broader misunderstanding of the circumstances of life for belugas raised in confinement.

“The people needs to understand these are whales that have lived entirely in captivity and they will need constant supervision for the foreseeable future,” she said. “Many just don’t understand that it’s not as simple as saying ‘end operations’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Continuing Discussion

As authorities work to find a answer, proposals have surfaced, some of which have questionable practicality. One proposal called for the belugas to be let go into the natural habitat of Canada’s north – where whales are a important part of food for Inuit communities.

A proposed sanctuary in the region of eastern Canada, which recently received regulatory clearance, has shown to be most controversial. The future facility, which includes 100 acres of enclosed sea water, is not yet built. Advocates remain optimistic that it could eventually represent a sustainable resolution for a number of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among staff she’s discussed with, there is “doubts there” about what she said is “only an trial” in the whales’ future.

Others say the idea of a sanctuary indicates a changing attitudes away from zoos and aquariums and could represent a feasible approach in the coming months.

The project lead, leader of the sanctuary project, said the facility will mimic the mental engagement and diet the whales obtain from trainers, albeit in a much larger space. He said after the medical condition of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|