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Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie Botts is an adorable small “ham sandwich”. The whale Orion – called “Onion Ring” – is a large but fiercely protective companion. Another whale, Zephyr has “constant motion” and wiggles like a wiggly creature. Lillooet is the “loving presence” with a kind nature.

Thirty enclosed beluga whales in a Canadian amusement park have become pawns in a tussle between a defunct facility, government authorities and animal rights activists.

But those most familiar with the whales say the heated controversy over their destiny often ignores the nuances of the whales who, after growing up in enclosed habitats, have been carefully observed by the humans who see them each day.

After the Canadian government blocked the transfer 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 authorities pays for the upkeep of their survival. The nation’s marine resources official has rejected that ultimatum, placing the 30 whales in an increasingly precarious situation.

Intelligent Marine Mammals

Experts say that beluga whales’ neural makeup, along with their sound replication, problem solving and group interactions indicate they are highly cognitive mammals – something a former trainer learned first-hand.

Burgess spent a significant period as a marine mammal specialist, a position that involved gaining confidence of the sea creatures.

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

The trainer knew the whales were highly intelligent, but she says she was nonetheless amazed by the subtleties and unique traits in their personalities. She cultivated a particular love for a pair of whales with opposing personalities.

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

Growing Opposition and Facility Decline

Burgess’s interaction with the whales progressed against a backdrop of increasing societal concern to their enclosure.

During her tenure at the park, multiple belugas and the park’s single orca, the orca, died. In all, nineteen belugas have perished at the park since 2019, a number which the facility attributes to expected lifespan, but which advocates say indicates the substandard environment in which they were housed.

The park did not open to the visitors over the recent season, but Burgess says she saw with her own eyes consequences of the closure. “Concrete is breaking off from the enclosures because they’re degrading and not being maintained. The whales are inquisitive and so they take pieces and move about with pieces in their mouth. It’s upsetting to see.”

The park did not respond to a request for comment, but earlier stated: “The whales … obtain far better medical attention and 24/7 care than any human in the Britain, or other places.”

Fate in Limbo and Potential Resolutions

The former employee was terminated from the facility in the spring following the passing of a beluga, an sick beluga the park staff had to put down. She said the park suspected particulars of the death were leaked to the press and she was fired shortly thereafter.

The lack of clarity over the whales’ fate has left her and other caretakers in anguish. She says the park’s warning to end the lives of its whales is a bargaining chip and is a “extremely difficult” endeavor, adding any plans to humanely kill even a individual beluga would require “considerable personnel”, trucks and heavy equipment.

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

Burgess advocates for requests for the whales to be transferred immediately from the park, with its crumbling tanks and dwindling staff.

In late September, the nation’s government official turned down a proposal to send the whales to China.

“To approve the request would have meant a perpetual life in confinement and a reversion to performance for audiences,” the minister commented. “As the public, we know that belugas should be in the ocean, not in enclosures for our enjoyment. I could not in good conscience approve an export that would perpetuate the situation these belugas have experienced.”

But the former trainer said the minister’s remarks reveal a wider incorrect perception of the realities of life for belugas born in captivity.

“The society needs to realize these are whales that have existed solely in confinement and they will need constant supervision for the remainder of their lives,” she said. “Many just don’t realize that it’s not as straightforward as saying ‘end operations’.”

Alternative Habitat and Continuing Discussion

As decision makers work to find a answer, ideas have surfaced, some of which have questionable practicality. An idea called for the belugas to be released into the natural habitat of Canada’s north – where whales are a primary resource of food for Inuit communities.

A planned sanctuary in the region of Nova Scotia, which recently received government approval, has shown to be most controversial. The future site, which includes 100 acres of penned in ocean, is not yet built. Supporters remain optimistic that it could eventually represent a sustainable answer for eight of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among trainers she’s consulted, there is “skepticism there” about what she said is “merely an trial” in the whales’ fate.

Some experts say the idea of a sanctuary indicates a broader global shift away from animal displays and could represent a viable solution in the short term.

The project lead, director of the initiative, said the facility will mimic the intellectual stimulation and feeding regimen the whales receive from specialists, albeit in a significantly bigger area. He said after the medical condition of whales is fully assessed, which could take months|an extended period|