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Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie Botts is an cute small “playful character”. The whale Orion – nicknamed “Onion” – is a large but guardian-like companion. Zephyr has “endless energy” and wiggles like a wiggly creature. Lillooet the beluga is the “most affectionate” with a kind nature.

Thirty captive marine mammals in a Canadian amusement park have become pawns in a disagreement between a closed attraction, government authorities and animal rights activists.

But those most familiar with the whales say the heated controversy over their destiny often overlooks the complexities of the whales who, after living their entire lives in enclosed habitats, have been closely studied by the humans who see them each day.

After the Canadian government blocked the transfer of the belugas to a foreign facility, the controversial amusement park near the famous falls where they are housed threatened to euthanize them unless the authorities funds the upkeep of their survival. The nation’s marine resources official has rejected that ultimatum, placing the 30 whales in an increasingly precarious situation.

Highly Cognitive Marine Mammals

Researchers say that beluga whales’ brain structure, along with their vocal imitation skills, cognitive challenges and social skills suggest they are deeply intelligent mammals – something a former trainer learned directly.

She spent three years as a whale caretaker, a position that entailed building relationships of the sea creatures.

“Establishing those bonds over time takes a lot of dedication and a lot of care. At the outset, they’re very unsure of you,” she said. “Eventually, you gain shared confidence. And they start being more vulnerable with you. It’s just so wonderful and gratifying.”

Burgess knew the whales were highly intelligent, but she says she was nevertheless surprised by the details and quirks in their dispositions. She cultivated a special affection for two female belugas with opposing temperaments.

“Eve chose me. The other made me earn it,” she said. “Each changed the way I understand connection.”

Public Concerns and Facility Decline

Her relationship with the whales progressed against a backdrop of increasing societal concern to their enclosure.

During her tenure at the park, seven belugas and the park’s single killer whale, the orca, passed away. In all, nineteen belugas have perished at the park since recent years, a statistic which the facility links to age-related causes, but which campaigners say points to the inadequate care in which they were housed.

The park did not open to the public over the summer, but the former trainer says she saw with her own eyes results of the cessation. “Structural materials is breaking off from the tanks because they’re in disrepair and not being maintained. The whales are curious and so they grab fragments and navigate with pieces in their mouth. It’s heartbreaking to see.”

The facility did not reply to a request for comment, but previously stated: “The whales … obtain far superior health care and around the clock care than any person in the Britain, or other places.”

Fate in Limbo and Potential Resolutions

The former employee was fired from the park in the spring following the demise of a beluga, an sick beluga the park staff had to euthanize. She said the park believed details of the death were leaked to the media and she was let go shortly thereafter.

The ambiguity over the whales’ fate has left her and staff members in despair. She says the facility’s ultimatum to end the lives of its whales is a bargaining chip and is a “extremely difficult” undertaking, adding any attempts to euthanize even a single beluga would require “significant manpower”, vehicles and specialized tools.

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

Burgess backs calls for the whales to be removed immediately from the park, with its failing enclosures and shrinking team.

In late September, Canada’s government official rejected a bid to transfer the whales to China.

“Granting the application would have meant a continued existence in confinement and a reversion to display for amusement,” the official stated. “As Canadians, we know that belugas are meant for the ocean, not in tanks for our enjoyment. I could not in ethical standing approve an export that would prolong the conditions these belugas have experienced.”

But the former trainer said the minister’s comments reveal a broader lack of awareness of the facts of living conditions for belugas living their whole lives in enclosures.

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

Sanctuary Proposal and Continuing Discussion

As authorities struggle to find a solution, ideas have surfaced, some of which have questionable practicality. An idea called for the belugas to be released into the natural habitat of the Arctic – where whales are a key source of nourishment for Indigenous peoples.

A planned sanctuary in the province of eastern Canada, which has received official endorsement, has shown to be contentious. The prospective site, which includes a large area of protected cove, is not yet built. Supporters remain positive that it could ultimately represent a sustainable solution for some of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among trainers she’s spoken with, there is “no trust there” about what she said is “only an trial” in the whales’ well-being.

Some experts say the prospect of a sanctuary represents a changing attitudes away from animal displays and could represent a viable solution in the coming months.

Charles Vinick, director of the plan, said the facility will replicate the intellectual stimulation and diet the whales receive from caretakers, albeit in a significantly bigger environment. He said after the health of whales is completely examined, which could take months|an extended period|