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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie Botts is an cute small “ham sandwich”. The whale Orion – called “Onion” – is a big but fiercely protective friend. Another whale, Zephyr has “ants in his pants” and moves like a worm. Lillooet the beluga is the “most affectionate” with a heart of gold.

Thirty captive marine mammals in a Canadian entertainment facility have been entangled in a disagreement between a defunct facility, local and national governments and animal rights activists.

But those most familiar with the whales say the heated discussion over their destiny often ignores the complexities of the whales who, after spending their lives in confinement, have been carefully observed by the people who interact with them daily.

After the federal government prevented the transfer of the belugas to a foreign facility, the struggling attraction near the famous falls where they are held stated it would consider to put them down unless the federal government pays for the cost of their care. The nation’s marine resources official has denied that request, placing the 30 whales in an increasingly precarious circumstance.

Highly Cognitive Marine Mammals

Scientists say that belugas’ brain structure, along with their mimicry abilities, cognitive challenges and social skills indicate they are deeply intelligent mammals – something Kristy Burgess observed personally.

Burgess spent several years as a marine mammal specialist, a job that entailed earning the trust of the sea creatures.

“Building up those bonds over time takes a lot of consistency and a lot of love. At the start, they’re very wary of you,” she said. “Eventually, you gain reciprocal understanding. And they start being more vulnerable with you. It’s just so extraordinary and rewarding.”

Burgess knew the whales were exceptionally cognitive, but she says she was nevertheless surprised by the details and unique traits in their dispositions. She cultivated a particular love for a pair of whales with different temperaments.

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

Growing Opposition and Facility Decline

Burgess’s connection with the whales progressed against a background of growing public opposition to their enclosure.

During her three years at the attraction, multiple belugas and the park’s one orca, the orca, passed away. In total, nineteen belugas have perished at the park since 2019, a statistic which the park attributes to natural mortality, but which activists say reflects the inadequate care in which they were maintained.

The park did not open to the guests over the recent season, but the former trainer says she witnessed firsthand effects of the shutdown. “Concrete is deteriorating from the tanks because they’re falling apart and not being maintained. The whales are inquisitive and so they grab fragments and swim around with chunks in their mouth. It’s distressing to see.”

The park did not reply to a inquiry, but in the past stated: “The whales … obtain far higher quality medical attention and around the clock supervision than any individual in the United Kingdom, or other places.”

Uncertain Future and Potential Resolutions

Burgess was terminated from the park in the spring following the demise of a beluga, an ailing beluga the employees had to humanely kill. She said the park thought information of the death were shared to the press and she was let go not long after.

The uncertainty over the whales’ fate has left her and other caretakers in anguish. She says the park’s ultimatum to euthanize its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “practically unfeasible” endeavor, adding any plans to euthanize even a one beluga would require “significant personnel”, equipment and machinery.

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

Burgess supports requests for the whales to be transferred right away from the park, with its failing enclosures and shrinking team.

In late September, the nation’s fisheries minister denied a request to send the whales to an overseas location.

“Granting the request would have meant a continued situation in enclosure and a return to display for amusement,” the official stated. “As the public, we know that marine mammals should be in the wild, not in tanks for our amusement. I could not in good conscience approve an relocation that would perpetuate the conditions these belugas have endured.”

But Burgess said the minister’s statements reveal a wider misunderstanding of the facts of life for belugas raised in confinement.

“The people needs to understand these are whales that have lived entirely in confinement and they will need human care for the remainder of their lives,” she said. “The public just don’t realize that it’s not as straightforward as saying ‘end operations’.”

Alternative Habitat and Continuing Discussion

As decision makers work to find a answer, suggestions have emerged, some of which have minimal feasibility. One proposal called for the belugas to be freed into the natural habitat of Canada’s north – where whales are a important part of nourishment for Indigenous peoples.

A proposed refuge in the province of eastern Canada, which now received government approval, has shown to be most controversial. The planned site, which includes a large area of protected cove, doesn’t yet exist. Advocates remain hopeful that it could eventually represent a sustainable solution for a number of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among trainers she’s consulted, there is “skepticism there” about what she said is “only an untested concept” in the whales’ future.

Some experts say the prospect of a protected habitat indicates a changing attitudes away from animal displays and could represent a workable approach in the near future.

The project lead, leader of the initiative, said the site will mimic the mental engagement and diet the whales get from caretakers, albeit in a significantly bigger space. He said after the health of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|