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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie is an charming small “sweetheart”. Orion – nicknamed “Onion Ring” – is a sizeable but very loyal friend. Another whale, Zephyr has “ants in his pants” and moves like a worm. Lillooet is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a kind nature.

A group of thirty enclosed marine mammals in a Canadian amusement park have been entangled in a tussle between a shuttered park, local and national governments and welfare campaigners.

But those working directly with the whales say the heated discussion over their future often overlooks the individual traits of the whales who, after living their entire lives in enclosed habitats, have been carefully observed by the humans who see them each day.

After the national authorities prevented the sale of the belugas to China, the struggling facility near the famous falls where they are held stated it would consider to put them down unless the authorities pays for the upkeep of their care. Canada’s fisheries minister has denied that demand, placing the 30 whales in an ever more uncertain situation.

Highly Cognitive Marine Mammals

Experts say that belugas’ neural makeup, along with their sound replication, problem solving and communal behavior point to they are remarkably smart animals – something Kristy Burgess learned personally.

Burgess spent several years as a marine mammal specialist, a position that involved earning the trust of the aquatic animals.

“Establishing those bonds over time takes a lot of regularity and a lot of affection. At the beginning, they’re very cautious of you,” she said. “Over time, you gain shared confidence. And they start being more open with you. It’s just so magical and rewarding.”

Burgess knew the whales were very smart, but she says she was nonetheless astounded by the details and quirks in their personalities. She cultivated a particular love for Eve and Cleopatra with different temperaments.

“Eve chose me. Cleo demanded work,” she said. “They transformed the way I understand relationships.”

Public Concerns and Facility Decline

Her relationship with the whales evolved against a context of growing public opposition to their enclosure.

During her three years at the attraction, seven belugas and the park’s single killer whale, the orca, passed away. In total, nineteen belugas have died at the park since 2019, a statistic which the facility links to age-related causes, but which campaigners say indicates the poor conditions in which they were maintained.

The park did not open to the public over the recent season, but the former trainer says she witnessed firsthand effects of the cessation. “Concrete is breaking off from the tanks because they’re falling apart and not being maintained. The whales are exploratory and so they grab fragments and navigate with pieces in their mouth. It’s distressing to see.”

The facility did not reply to a questionnaire, but in the past stated: “The whales … obtain far higher quality health care and around the clock care than any individual in the United Kingdom, or elsewhere.”

Uncertain Future and Potential Resolutions

Burgess was terminated from the park in the spring following the demise of a beluga, an unwell beluga the caretakers had to put down. She said the facility believed particulars of the incident were disclosed to the news outlets and she was let go soon after.

The ambiguity over the whales’ future has left her and staff members in anguish. She says the park’s threat to kill its whales is a leverage tool and is a “extremely difficult” undertaking, adding any plans to put down even a one beluga would require “immense personnel”, equipment and heavy equipment.

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

She advocates for requests for the whales to be transferred right away from the park, with its crumbling tanks and reduced personnel.

In late September, Canada’s fisheries minister denied a proposal to export the whales to China.

“Allowing the application would have meant a ongoing situation in confinement and a return to performance for audiences,” the minister commented. “As the public, we know that belugas belong in the sea, not in enclosures for our enjoyment. I could not in clear conscience permit an transfer that would perpetuate the conditions these belugas have suffered.”

But Burgess said the official’s comments indicate a more general incorrect perception of the facts of life for belugas raised in confinement.

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

Alternative Habitat and Continuing Discussion

As decision makers attempt to find a answer, proposals have been put forward, some of which have little basis in reality. One proposal called for the belugas to be let go into the natural habitat of northern regions – where whales are a primary resource of food for Indigenous peoples.

A planned refuge in the region of eastern Canada, which now received government approval, has shown to be highly debated. The planned facility, which includes 100 acres of penned in ocean, doesn’t yet exist. Advocates remain hopeful that it could in time represent a permanent answer for some of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among caretakers she’s spoken with, there is “doubts there” about what she said is “only an untested concept” in the whales’ future.

Some experts say the idea of a refuge indicates a broader global shift away from captive facilities and could represent a feasible approach in the short term.

An official, head of the plan, said the location will mimic the intellectual stimulation and nutrition the whales receive from trainers, albeit in a significantly bigger environment. He said after the well-being of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|