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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie is an adorable little “ham sandwich”. The whale Orion – nicknamed “Onion Ring” – is a big but fiercely protective friend. Zephyr has “ants in his pants” and moves like a wiggly creature. Lillooet is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a heart of gold.

Thirty enclosed marine mammals in a Canada-based entertainment facility have been entangled in a struggle between a defunct facility, public officials and advocacy groups.

But those working directly with the whales say the impassioned debate over their destiny often fails to consider the individual traits of the whales who, after living their entire lives in confinement, have been closely studied by the humans who see them each day.

After the national authorities prevented the sale of the belugas to China, the controversial facility near the famous falls where they are housed warned to put them down unless the government pays for the expense of their care. The nation’s fisheries minister has denied that request, placing the thirty whales in an ever more uncertain situation.

Intelligent Marine Mammals

Scientists say that beluga whales’ neuroanatomy, along with their sound replication, intellectual tasks and communal behavior indicate they are deeply intelligent mammals – something one caretaker observed directly.

Burgess spent three years as a beluga trainer, a job that involved earning the trust of the marine predators.

“Developing those bonds over time takes a lot of dedication and a lot of affection. At the start, they’re very cautious of you,” she said. “Eventually, you gain shared confidence. And they start being more open with you. It’s just so magical and rewarding.”

The trainer knew the whales were very smart, but she says she was even so astounded by the subtleties and quirks in their characters. She cultivated a deep bond for Eve and Cleopatra with contrasting temperaments.

“Eve chose me. Cleo made me earn it,” she said. “Each transformed the way I perceive relationships.”

Growing Opposition and Deteriorating Conditions

Her relationship with the whales developed against a backdrop of rising activist criticism to their enclosure.

During her time at the park, multiple belugas and the park’s single killer whale, the orca, succumbed. In total, nineteen belugas have perished at the park since 2019, a toll which the facility attributes to natural mortality, but which activists say indicates the inadequate care in which they were housed.

The park did not admit visitors to the visitors over the recent season, but the former trainer says she observed directly effects of the shutdown. “Structural materials is falling apart from the enclosures because they’re falling apart and not being maintained. The whales are inquisitive and so they take pieces and move about with pieces in their jaws. It’s distressing to see.”

The facility did not reply to a questionnaire, but previously stated: “The whales … get far superior medical attention and constant supervision than any person in the United Kingdom, or elsewhere.”

Fate in Limbo and Potential Resolutions

The former employee was terminated from the facility in recent months following the demise of Eos, an sick beluga the employees had to euthanize. She said the facility suspected information of the incident were disclosed to the media and she was fired not long after.

The ambiguity over the whales’ outcome has left her and staff members in anguish. She says the facility’s ultimatum to kill its whales is a bargaining chip and is a “practically unfeasible” endeavor, adding any plans to put down even a single beluga would require “considerable staff”, trucks and specialized tools.

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

She supports calls for the whales to be removed immediately from the park, with its crumbling tanks and shrinking team.

In the autumn, the nation’s fisheries minister denied a proposal to send the whales to China.

“Allowing the proposal would have meant a perpetual existence in enclosure and a return to display for amusement,” the official commented. “As the public, we know that marine mammals are meant for the sea, not in tanks for our enjoyment. I could not in clear conscience permit an export that would prolong the conditions these belugas have endured.”

But Burgess said the official’s comments reflect a more general misunderstanding of the circumstances of existence for belugas born in captivity.

“The people needs to understand these are whales that have existed solely in confinement and they will need ongoing assistance for the foreseeable future,” she said. “People just don’t comprehend that it’s not as simple as saying ‘end operations’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Continuing Discussion

As decision makers work to find a solution, ideas have been put forward, some of which have little basis in reality. An idea called for the belugas to be freed into the open waters of Canada’s north – where whales are a primary resource of nourishment for Inuit communities.

A proposed protected area in the province of eastern Canada, which now received official endorsement, has proven most controversial. The future facility, which includes extensive space of penned in ocean, doesn’t yet exist. Advocates remain positive that it could eventually represent a long term solution for a number of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among caretakers she’s spoken with, there is “skepticism there” about what she said is “simply an untested concept” in the whales’ fate.

Others say the idea of a refuge indicates a changing attitudes away from zoos and aquariums and could represent a workable plan in the near future.

An official, director of the sanctuary project, said the site will mimic the cognitive activities and nutrition the whales obtain from trainers, albeit in a more expansive environment. He said after the health of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|