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Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie is an cute small “sweetheart”. The whale Orion – nicknamed “Onion” – is a big but fiercely protective companion. Another whale, Zephyr has “constant motion” and moves like a wiggly creature. Lillooet is the “loving presence” with a gentle spirit.

Thirty captive marine mammals in a Canada-based amusement park have become pawns in a struggle between a shuttered park, public officials and welfare campaigners.

But those closest to the whales say the impassioned discussion over their future often ignores the individual traits of the whales who, after spending their lives in captivity, have been thoroughly researched by the caretakers who see them each day.

After the federal government disallowed the export of the belugas to China, the struggling attraction near the famous falls where they are held warned to end their lives unless the federal government funds the cost of keeping them alive. Canada’s fisheries minister has rejected that request, placing the 30 whales in an increasingly precarious circumstance.

Intelligent Sea Creatures

Experts say that belugas’ neuroanatomy, along with their mimicry abilities, intellectual tasks and social skills suggest they are highly cognitive mammals – something Kristy Burgess learned personally.

She spent several years as a marine mammal specialist, a job that required building relationships of the aquatic animals.

“Building up those relationships over time takes a lot of regularity and a lot of love. At the beginning, they’re very wary of you,” she said. “In time, you gain mutual trust. And they start being more open with you. It’s just so extraordinary and fulfilling.”

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

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

Growing Opposition and Facility Decline

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

During her three years at the attraction, seven belugas and the park’s one killer whale, Kiska, died. In total, 19 belugas have died at the park since 2019, a toll which the facility ascribes to natural mortality, but which advocates say indicates the inadequate care in which they were housed.

The facility did not operate to the visitors over the summer, but the former trainer says she witnessed firsthand effects of the closure. “Concrete is falling apart from the pools because they’re falling apart and not being repaired. The whales are curious and so they grab fragments and move about with pieces in their jaws. It’s heartbreaking to see.”

The park did not comment to a request for comment, but in the past stated: “The whales … receive far superior medical attention and constant supervision than any human in the Britain, or other places.”

Uncertain Future and Potential Resolutions

The former employee was dismissed from the facility in the spring following the demise of Eos, an ailing beluga the park staff had to humanely kill. She said the park believed information of the incident were leaked to the news outlets and she was fired soon after.

The uncertainty over the whales’ future has left her and other caretakers in anguish. She says the park’s warning to euthanize its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “practically unfeasible” task, adding any attempts to humanely kill even a single beluga would require “considerable staff”, vehicles and specialized tools.

“It’s impossible in hell the employees would ever do it,” she said.

Burgess backs calls for the whales to be taken promptly from the park, with its failing enclosures and shrinking team.

In the autumn, the nation’s government official turned down a bid to transfer the whales to an overseas location.

“Granting the request would have meant a perpetual life in enclosure and a reversion to display for amusement,” the minister stated. “As society, we know that belugas are meant for the wild, not in tanks for our amusement. I could not in ethical standing approve an export that would continue the treatment these belugas have endured.”

But Burgess said the official’s remarks reflect a broader lack of awareness of the realities of living conditions for belugas living their whole lives in enclosures.

“The society needs to grasp these are whales that have existed solely in captivity and they will need constant supervision for the foreseeable future,” she said. “The public just don’t comprehend that it’s not as easy as saying ‘end operations’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Ongoing Debate

As officials work to find a resolution, suggestions have emerged, some of which have little basis in reality. A suggested plan called for the belugas to be released into the natural habitat of northern regions – where whales are a important part of nourishment for Indigenous peoples.

A proposed protected area in the region of eastern Canada, which recently received regulatory clearance, has been contentious. The future location, which includes 100 acres of enclosed sea water, remains undeveloped. Supporters remain positive that it could ultimately represent a permanent answer for eight of the whales.

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

Some experts say the possibility of a refuge reflects a changing attitudes away from captive facilities and could represent a viable solution in the coming months.

The project lead, leader of the plan, said the site will mimic the intellectual stimulation and nutrition the whales receive from caretakers, albeit in a more expansive environment. He said after the medical condition of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|