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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie is an charming little “playful character”. Orion – nicknamed “Onion Ring” – is a big but fiercely protective companion. Another whale, Zephyr has “constant motion” and moves like a wiggly creature. Lillooet the beluga is the “most affectionate” with a kind nature.

A group of thirty enclosed marine mammals in a Canadian amusement park have been entangled in a tussle between a defunct facility, local and national governments and advocacy groups.

But those most familiar with the whales say the heated controversy over their destiny often ignores the individual traits of the whales who, after growing up in enclosed habitats, have been closely studied by the caretakers who interact with them daily.

After the national authorities blocked the sale of the belugas to a foreign facility, the controversial amusement park near the famous falls where they are housed threatened to put them down unless the federal government funds the upkeep of their care. Canada’s fisheries minister has rejected that demand, placing the thirty whales in an dangerously unstable circumstance.

Intelligent Marine Mammals

Researchers say that beluga whales’ neuroanatomy, along with their vocal imitation skills, problem solving and social skills suggest they are highly cognitive animals – something a former trainer learned personally.

Burgess spent a significant period as a whale caretaker, a position that entailed earning the trust of the aquatic animals.

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

Burgess knew the whales were exceptionally cognitive, but she says she was nevertheless surprised by the details and quirks in their dispositions. She formed a special affection for two female belugas with opposing personalities.

“Eve selected me. The other required effort,” she said. “They transformed the way I understand connection.”

Growing Opposition and Deteriorating Conditions

Her connection with the whales evolved against a context of growing public opposition to their captivity.

During her time at the attraction, multiple belugas and the park’s single orca, Kiska, died. In all, 19 belugas have perished at the park since 2019, a toll which the facility links to natural mortality, but which advocates say points to the poor conditions in which they were housed.

The park did not operate to the public over the summer, but the former trainer says she witnessed firsthand consequences of the cessation. “Concrete 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 swim around with pieces in their mouth. It’s distressing to see.”

The facility did not respond to a inquiry, but previously asserted: “The whales … obtain far superior health care and around the clock care than any individual in the United Kingdom, or anywhere else.”

Fate in Limbo and Proposed Solutions

Burgess was fired from the park in recent months following the passing of a beluga, an sick beluga the caretakers had to euthanize. She said the park suspected information of the death were shared to the news outlets and she was fired shortly thereafter.

The ambiguity over the whales’ outcome has left Burgess and current and former trainers in distress. She says the park’s ultimatum to end the lives of its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “practically unfeasible” task, adding any attempts to euthanize even a individual beluga would require “considerable manpower”, vehicles and heavy equipment.

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

Burgess supports calls for the whales to be removed immediately from the facility, with its failing enclosures and dwindling staff.

In late September, Canada’s fisheries minister rejected a proposal to transfer the whales to an overseas location.

“To approve the proposal would have meant a ongoing existence in confinement and a reversion to performance for audiences,” the official stated. “As Canadians, we know that belugas belong in the wild, not in enclosures for our entertainment. I could not in good conscience permit an export that would prolong the situation these belugas have suffered.”

But Burgess said the minister’s statements reflect a more general misunderstanding of the facts of living conditions for belugas born in captivity.

“The people needs to realize these are whales that have existed solely in confinement and they will need ongoing assistance for the rest of their years,” she said. “Many just don’t comprehend that it’s not as easy as saying ‘end operations’.”

Alternative Habitat and Continuing Discussion

As decision makers attempt to find a resolution, suggestions have emerged, some of which have minimal feasibility. One proposal called for the belugas to be freed into the wilds of northern regions – where whales are a important part of sustenance for Indigenous peoples.

A suggested protected area in the province of Nova Scotia, which now received regulatory clearance, has proven most controversial. The future facility, which includes 100 acres of enclosed sea water, is not yet built. Proponents remain hopeful that it could ultimately represent a sustainable resolution for some of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among staff she’s consulted, there is “no trust there” about what she said is “only an experiment” in the whales’ future.

Others say the prospect of a protected habitat represents a broader global shift away from captive facilities and could represent a feasible solution in the coming months.

The project lead, director of the initiative, said the facility will simulate the mental engagement and diet the whales get from trainers, albeit in a more expansive space. He said after the health of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|