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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie is an cute little “playful character”. The whale Orion – called “Onion Ring” – is a large but fiercely protective friend. Zephyr has “endless energy” and sways like a wiggly creature. Lillooet is the “loving presence” with a kind nature.

A group of thirty enclosed marine mammals in a Canadian amusement park have been entangled in a struggle between a closed attraction, public officials and advocacy groups.

But those working directly with the whales say the heated discussion over their future often fails to consider the nuances of the whales who, after growing up in enclosed habitats, have been carefully observed by the humans who interact with them daily.

After the federal government prevented the sale of the belugas to China, the embattled amusement park near Niagara Falls where they are held warned to put them down unless the government funds the upkeep of their care. Canada’s marine resources official has rejected that request, placing the thirty whales in an dangerously unstable circumstance.

Highly Cognitive Sea Creatures

Scientists say that beluga whales’ neural makeup, along with their vocal imitation skills, intellectual tasks and group interactions suggest they are highly cognitive mammals – something one caretaker discovered personally.

Burgess spent a significant period as a beluga trainer, a job that entailed building relationships of the sea creatures.

“Developing those relationships over time takes a lot of regularity and a lot of love. At the start, they’re very unsure of you,” she said. “In 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 nuances and quirks in their personalities. She formed a special affection for two female belugas with different personalities.

“Eve selected me. Cleo demanded work,” she said. “Both transformed the way I view connection.”

Growing Opposition and Deteriorating Conditions

Her connection with the whales progressed against a context of growing public opposition to their enclosure.

During her time at the attraction, multiple belugas and the park’s single killer whale, Kiska, succumbed. In all, 19 belugas have perished at the park since 2019, a statistic which the facility attributes to natural mortality, but which advocates say reflects the poor conditions in which they were kept.

The park did not operate to the visitors over the summer, but Burgess says she observed directly consequences of the shutdown. “Concrete is deteriorating from the enclosures because they’re in disrepair and not being maintained. The whales are inquisitive and so they grab fragments and move about with pieces in their mouth. It’s heartbreaking to see.”

The park did not comment to a request for comment, but earlier asserted: “The whales … get far better veterinary services and constant supervision than any human in the United Kingdom, or anywhere else.”

Uncertain Future and Potential Resolutions

The former employee was terminated from the facility in the spring following the passing of Eos, an unwell beluga the park staff had to put down. She said the facility believed details of the incident were disclosed to the media and she was let go shortly thereafter.

The uncertainty over the whales’ future has left her and current and former trainers in despair. She says the facility’s threat to kill its whales is a bargaining chip and is a “extremely difficult” task, adding any plans to humanely kill even a single beluga would require “considerable manpower”, equipment and heavy equipment.

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

Burgess supports demands for the whales to be removed immediately from the park, with its crumbling tanks and dwindling staff.

In recent months, the nation’s fisheries minister turned down a bid to send the whales to an overseas location.

“To approve the proposal would have meant a continued life in enclosure and a reversion to public entertainment,” the minister stated. “As Canadians, we know that marine mammals are meant for the ocean, not in tanks for our entertainment. I could not in good conscience approve an transfer that would prolong the situation these belugas have suffered.”

But the former trainer said the minister’s comments reflect a wider lack of awareness of the circumstances of living conditions for belugas born in captivity.

“The society needs to grasp these are whales that have existed solely in enclosed habitats 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 easy as saying ‘shut it down’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Ongoing Debate

As officials work to find a answer, proposals have been put forward, some of which have minimal feasibility. An idea called for the belugas to be let go into the wilds of northern regions – where whales are a primary resource of food for Inuit communities.

A planned refuge in the region of eastern Canada, which now received government approval, has been contentious. The prospective site, which includes extensive space of protected cove, is not yet built. Supporters remain optimistic that it could in time represent a sustainable answer for eight of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among staff she’s consulted, there is “no trust there” about what she said is “merely an untested concept” in the whales’ fate.

Others say the prospect of a protected habitat indicates a worldwide trend away from animal displays and could represent a viable plan in the coming months.

An official, director of the sanctuary project, said the location will simulate the mental engagement and feeding regimen the whales get from caretakers, albeit in a much larger environment. He said after the well-being of whales is fully assessed, which could take months|an extended period|