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Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie Botts is an adorable little “sweetheart”. Orion – called “Onion” – is a big but guardian-like friend. Another whale, Zephyr has “ants in his pants” and wiggles like a worm. Lillooet is the “most affectionate” with a heart of gold.

Thirty enclosed marine mammals in a Canadian entertainment facility have been entangled in a tussle between a defunct facility, government authorities and animal rights activists.

But those working directly with the whales say the heated debate over their fate often fails to consider the nuances of the whales who, after living their entire lives in enclosed habitats, have been thoroughly researched by the people who interact with them daily.

After the national authorities disallowed the transfer of the belugas to a foreign facility, the controversial facility near the famous falls where they are kept stated it would consider to euthanize them unless the federal government funds the expense of their survival. Canada’s marine resources official has refused that ultimatum, placing the 30 whales in an dangerously unstable situation.

Highly Cognitive Sea Creatures

Scientists say that beluga whales’ brain structure, along with their mimicry abilities, problem solving and communal behavior indicate they are deeply intelligent creatures – something one caretaker observed personally.

She spent three years as a whale caretaker, a position that required gaining confidence of the sea creatures.

“Developing those relationships over time takes a lot of consistency and a lot of care. At the beginning, they’re very wary of you,” she said. “Over time, you gain reciprocal understanding. And they start being more open with you. It’s just so extraordinary and gratifying.”

Burgess knew the whales were highly intelligent, but she says she was nevertheless amazed by the subtleties and unique traits in their dispositions. She formed a particular love for a pair of whales with contrasting personalities.

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

Public Concerns and Deteriorating Conditions

Her interaction with the whales progressed against a backdrop of rising activist criticism to their captivity.

During her tenure at the park, seven belugas and the park’s one orca, the orca, succumbed. In all, 19 belugas have perished at the park since 2019, a statistic which the facility ascribes to natural mortality, but which campaigners say indicates the poor conditions in which they were maintained.

The park did not operate to the public over the recent season, but Burgess says she witnessed firsthand effects of the shutdown. “Structural materials is falling apart from the enclosures because they’re in disrepair and not being maintained. The whales are exploratory and so they grab fragments and move about with fragments in their mouth. It’s upsetting to see.”

The park did not reply to a request for comment, but previously stated: “The whales … get far better health care and around the clock supervision than any individual in the Britain, or elsewhere.”

Uncertain Future and Proposed Solutions

Burgess was dismissed from the facility in the spring following the passing of a beluga, an sick beluga the caretakers had to put down. She said the facility thought particulars of the death were disclosed to the media and she was fired soon after.

The ambiguity over the whales’ fate has left her and staff members in despair. She says the facility’s ultimatum to kill its whales is a leverage tool and is a “practically unfeasible” task, adding any attempts to put down even a individual beluga would require “significant personnel”, equipment and specialized tools.

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

She backs demands for the whales to be transferred right away from the park, with its crumbling tanks and shrinking team.

In late September, Canada’s government official rejected a request to send the whales to an overseas location.

“To approve the request would have meant a ongoing situation in enclosure and a return to public entertainment,” the official stated. “As Canadians, we know that whales belong in the wild, not in enclosures for our entertainment. I could not in clear conscience authorize an export that would continue the treatment these belugas have suffered.”

But the former trainer said the official’s statements indicate a broader incorrect perception of the realities 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 ongoing assistance for the remainder of their lives,” she said. “The public just don’t realize that it’s not as simple as saying ‘close it down’.”

Alternative Habitat and Ongoing Debate

As decision makers attempt to find a solution, suggestions have emerged, some of which have minimal feasibility. One proposal called for the belugas to be let go into the open waters of Canada’s north – where whales are a key source of sustenance for Inuit communities.

A proposed refuge in the region of Nova Scotia, which has received official endorsement, has been highly debated. The future facility, which includes extensive space of protected cove, remains undeveloped. Proponents remain positive that it could in time represent a long term resolution for eight of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among trainers she’s consulted, there is “doubts there” about what she said is “simply an untested concept” in the whales’ fate.

Different voices say the possibility of a sanctuary indicates a broader global shift away from zoos and aquariums and could represent a workable solution in the coming months.

The project lead, leader of the plan, said the site will replicate the intellectual stimulation and nutrition the whales get from trainers, albeit in a more expansive space. He said after the medical condition of whales is completely examined, which could take months|an extended period|