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

Thirty enclosed marine mammals in a Canadian amusement park have been caught in a disagreement between a closed attraction, public officials and welfare campaigners.

But those most familiar with the whales say the intense controversy over their destiny often fails to consider the complexities of the whales who, after living their entire lives in captivity, have been carefully observed by the people who work with them regularly.

After the federal government prevented the sale of the belugas to China, the controversial attraction near Niagara Falls where they are held threatened to end their lives unless the authorities pays for the upkeep of keeping them alive. Canada’s fisheries minister has refused that request, placing the thirty whales in an dangerously unstable position.

Highly Cognitive Sea Creatures

Researchers say that belugas’ neuroanatomy, along with their mimicry abilities, problem solving and group interactions suggest they are highly cognitive mammals – something one caretaker learned directly.

She spent a significant period as a beluga trainer, a role that involved building relationships of the sea creatures.

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

Burgess knew the whales were exceptionally cognitive, but she says she was nevertheless amazed by the nuances and quirks in their dispositions. She developed a deep bond for two female belugas with contrasting personalities.

“One whale chose me. The other required effort,” she said. “They transformed the way I perceive connection.”

Growing Opposition and Facility Decline

Her connection with the whales developed against a context of increasing societal concern to their enclosure.

During her tenure at the park, multiple belugas and the park’s single orca, Kiska, succumbed. In total, 19 belugas have died at the park since 2019, a number which the park attributes to age-related causes, but which activists say points to the substandard environment in which they were maintained.

The park did not open to the visitors over the summer, but Burgess says she witnessed firsthand effects of the cessation. “Structural materials is deteriorating from the tanks because they’re falling apart and not being maintained. The whales are exploratory and so they take pieces and navigate with fragments in their jaws. It’s distressing to see.”

The facility did not respond to a inquiry, but in the past asserted: “The whales … receive far superior health care and 24/7 attention than any person in the Britain, or elsewhere.”

Fate in Limbo and Potential Resolutions

The former employee was fired from the facility in recent months following the passing of a beluga, an unwell beluga the caretakers had to put down. She said the facility believed information of the incident were disclosed to the media and she was let go not long after.

The lack of clarity over the whales’ outcome has left her and other caretakers in anguish. She says the facility’s ultimatum to euthanize its whales is a bargaining chip and is a “extremely difficult” task, adding any attempts to humanely kill even a individual beluga would require “significant personnel”, trucks and specialized tools.

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

Burgess advocates for calls for the whales to be transferred promptly from the park, with its deteriorating pools and shrinking team.

In late September, Canada’s fisheries minister denied a request to send the whales to China.

“Granting the proposal would have meant a perpetual life in confinement and a reversion to public entertainment,” the minister wrote. “As the public, we know that marine mammals are meant for the ocean, not in pools for our amusement. I could not in clear conscience authorize an export that would prolong the situation these belugas have experienced.”

But the former trainer said the minister’s statements reflect a broader misunderstanding of the facts of existence for belugas living their whole lives in enclosures.

“The people needs to understand these are whales that have spent their whole lives in enclosed habitats and they will need ongoing assistance for the foreseeable future,” she said. “The public just don’t realize that it’s not as straightforward as saying ‘close it down’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Ongoing Debate

As authorities attempt to find a resolution, suggestions have emerged, some of which have minimal feasibility. An idea called for the belugas to be freed into the natural habitat of northern regions – where whales are a key source of food for local populations.

A suggested refuge in the province of eastern Canada, which has received regulatory clearance, has been highly debated. The planned facility, which includes a large area of protected cove, doesn’t yet exist. Supporters remain hopeful that it could ultimately represent a sustainable resolution for eight of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among staff she’s consulted, there is “skepticism there” about what she said is “only an experiment” in the whales’ well-being.

Different voices say the possibility of a refuge represents a changing attitudes away from animal displays and could represent a workable plan in the coming months.

An official, head of the initiative, said the facility will mimic the cognitive activities and nutrition the whales receive from trainers, albeit in a significantly bigger area. He said after the health of whales is fully assessed, which could take months|an extended period|