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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie is an cute little “ham sandwich”. Orion – nicknamed “Onion” – is a big but guardian-like friend. Another whale, Zephyr has “endless energy” and sways like a worm. Lillooet is the “most affectionate” with a heart of gold.

Thirty enclosed marine mammals in a Canadian amusement park have become pawns in a disagreement between a defunct facility, local and national governments and welfare campaigners.

But those closest to the whales say the impassioned controversy over their fate often overlooks the individual traits of the whales who, after spending their lives in enclosed habitats, have been closely studied by the humans who work with them regularly.

After the national authorities prevented the export of the belugas to a foreign facility, the embattled facility near Niagara Falls where they are housed threatened to euthanize them unless the authorities pays for the upkeep of their survival. The nation’s fisheries minister has denied that demand, placing the thirty whales in an increasingly precarious circumstance.

Highly Cognitive Sea Creatures

Scientists say that beluga whales’ brain structure, along with their mimicry abilities, cognitive challenges and communal behavior indicate they are remarkably smart mammals – something one caretaker observed first-hand.

She spent a significant period as a marine mammal specialist, a position that required earning the trust of the sea creatures.

“Developing those bonds over time takes a lot of regularity and a lot of affection. At the outset, they’re very wary of you,” she said. “Over time, you gain reciprocal understanding. And they start being more vulnerable with you. It’s just so extraordinary and fulfilling.”

The trainer knew the whales were highly intelligent, but she says she was nonetheless surprised by the subtleties and idiosyncrasies in their personalities. She developed a particular love for a pair of whales with opposing temperaments.

“Eve chose me. The other required effort,” she said. “Both altered the way I perceive bonding.”

Public Concerns and Facility Decline

Burgess’s interaction with the whales progressed against a backdrop of growing public opposition to their confinement.

During her three years at the attraction, seven belugas and the park’s single orca, the orca, passed away. In all, nineteen belugas have perished at the park since 2019, a statistic which the park links to expected lifespan, but which advocates say indicates the inadequate care in which they were maintained.

The park did not admit visitors to the guests over the summer, but Burgess says she witnessed firsthand consequences of the closure. “Structural materials is deteriorating from the enclosures because they’re degrading and not being maintained. The whales are curious and so they take pieces and navigate with chunks in their jaws. It’s heartbreaking to see.”

The park did not comment to a inquiry, but in the past asserted: “The whales … receive far higher quality veterinary services and constant care than any person in the Britain, or other places.”

Fate in Limbo and Proposed Solutions

The former employee was fired from the facility in early March following the demise of Eos, an unwell beluga the employees had to euthanize. She said the park believed details of the death were leaked to the press and she was fired not long after.

The ambiguity over the whales’ fate has left her and current and former trainers in despair. She says the facility’s warning to kill its whales is a leverage tool and is a “extremely difficult” undertaking, adding any plans to humanely kill even a individual beluga would require “significant staff”, trucks and specialized tools.

“There’s no way in hell the staff would ever do it,” she said.

Burgess advocates for requests for the whales to be removed immediately from the park, with its deteriorating pools and reduced personnel.

In recent months, Canada’s government official turned down a request to transfer the whales to an overseas location.

“Granting the application would have meant a perpetual existence in captivity and a return to public entertainment,” the official commented. “As society, we know that belugas belong in the sea, not in enclosures for our entertainment. I could not in clear conscience permit an transfer that would prolong the conditions these belugas have endured.”

But the former trainer said the official’s remarks indicate a wider incorrect perception of the realities of existence for belugas living their whole lives in enclosures.

“The society needs to understand these are whales that have spent their whole lives in enclosed habitats and they will need human care for the rest of their years,” she said. “The public just don’t realize that it’s not as straightforward as saying ‘shut it down’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Ongoing Debate

As officials attempt to find a answer, proposals have surfaced, some of which have minimal feasibility. A suggested plan called for the belugas to be let go into the natural habitat of northern regions – where whales are a key source of sustenance for local populations.

A suggested refuge in the province of Nova Scotia, which recently received official endorsement, has been most controversial. The planned location, which includes 100 acres of enclosed sea water, remains undeveloped. Advocates remain optimistic that it could ultimately represent a sustainable resolution for some of the whales.

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

Some experts say the prospect of a refuge represents a worldwide trend away from captive facilities and could represent a viable solution in the near future.

An official, leader of the plan, said the location will replicate the mental engagement and nutrition the whales get from specialists, albeit in a significantly bigger area. He said after the medical condition of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|