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Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie Botts is an cute small “sweetheart”. Orion – called “Onion Ring” – is a big but guardian-like companion. Another whale, Zephyr has “constant motion” and sways like a worm. Lillooet is the “loving presence” with a gentle spirit.

A group of thirty captive marine mammals in a Canadian entertainment facility have been entangled in a tussle between a shuttered park, public officials and advocacy groups.

But those working directly with the whales say the heated discussion over their future often overlooks the complexities of the whales who, after living their entire lives in captivity, have been closely studied by the humans who interact with them daily.

After the federal government disallowed the export of the belugas to China, the controversial attraction near the famous falls where they are kept warned to end their lives unless the authorities covers the cost of their survival. The nation’s fisheries minister has refused that ultimatum, placing the 30 whales in an increasingly precarious position.

Highly Cognitive Sea Creatures

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

Burgess spent a significant period as a whale caretaker, a job that required building relationships of the aquatic animals.

“Establishing those bonds over time takes a lot of dedication and a lot of care. At the beginning, they’re very wary of you,” she said. “Over time, you gain mutual trust. And they start being more vulnerable with you. It’s just so extraordinary and rewarding.”

The trainer knew the whales were very smart, but she says she was even so astounded by the details and idiosyncrasies in their dispositions. She formed a particular love for Eve and Cleopatra with opposing personalities.

“One whale selected me. The other required effort,” she said. “They transformed the way I view bonding.”

Growing Opposition and Deteriorating Conditions

Her interaction with the whales progressed against a context of increasing societal concern to their confinement.

During her time at the attraction, multiple belugas and the park’s one orca, Kiska, passed away. In all, 19 belugas have died at the park since recent years, a statistic which the park ascribes to natural mortality, but which activists say points to the substandard environment in which they were housed.

The facility did not operate to the public over the recent season, but Burgess says she witnessed firsthand effects of the shutdown. “Concrete is deteriorating from the enclosures because they’re in disrepair and not being maintained. The whales are curious and so they pick it up and move about with chunks in their jaws. It’s distressing to see.”

The park did not respond to a questionnaire, but previously stated: “The whales … get far better medical attention and constant supervision than any individual in the UK, or anywhere else.”

Uncertain Future and Proposed Solutions

Burgess was fired from the park in recent months following the demise of a beluga, an ailing beluga the park staff had to euthanize. She said the facility thought information of the incident were shared to the media and she was let go not long after.

The uncertainty over the whales’ fate has left her and other caretakers in despair. She says the facility’s ultimatum to kill its whales is a bargaining chip and is a “practically unfeasible” endeavor, adding any attempts to euthanize even a one beluga would require “immense staff”, trucks and heavy equipment.

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

Burgess supports demands for the whales to be taken promptly from the facility, with its deteriorating pools and reduced personnel.

In the autumn, Canada’s government official denied a proposal to transfer the whales to an overseas location.

“To approve the request would have meant a ongoing life in captivity and a return to public entertainment,” the minister stated. “As society, we know that marine mammals are meant for the sea, not in pools for our amusement. I could not in ethical standing permit an transfer that would perpetuate the conditions these belugas have experienced.”

But Burgess said the minister’s statements indicate a more general incorrect perception of the realities of life for belugas raised in confinement.

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

Sanctuary Proposal and Ongoing Debate

As decision makers work to find a resolution, ideas have emerged, some of which have minimal feasibility. An idea called for the belugas to be freed into the wilds of Canada’s north – where whales are a primary resource of food for Inuit communities.

A proposed refuge in the province of Nova Scotia, which now received government approval, has been contentious. The planned location, which includes extensive space of enclosed sea water, is not yet built. Proponents remain hopeful that it could ultimately represent a sustainable answer for some of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among trainers she’s consulted, there is “no trust there” about what she said is “merely an experiment” in the whales’ well-being.

Some experts say the possibility of a refuge reflects a changing attitudes away from zoos and aquariums and could represent a feasible approach in the short term.

Charles Vinick, leader of the sanctuary project, said the facility will mimic the cognitive activities and nutrition the whales receive from caretakers, albeit in a more expansive environment. He said after the medical condition of whales is completely examined, which could take months|an extended period|