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Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie Botts is an charming little “ham sandwich”. The whale Orion – called “Onion” – is a big but fiercely protective friend. Another whale, Zephyr has “ants in his pants” and wiggles like a wiggly creature. Lillooet is the “most affectionate” with a gentle spirit.

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

But those working directly with the whales say the heated discussion over their future often fails to consider the complexities of the whales who, after living their entire lives in enclosed habitats, have been thoroughly researched by the caretakers who work with them regularly.

After the Canadian government disallowed the sale of the belugas to China, the struggling facility near the famous falls where they are kept threatened to end their lives unless the government funds the upkeep of their survival. The nation’s marine resources official has refused that request, placing the thirty whales in an increasingly precarious situation.

Highly Cognitive Sea Creatures

Experts say that belugas’ neuroanatomy, along with their mimicry abilities, problem solving and group interactions suggest they are highly cognitive creatures – something one caretaker learned personally.

Burgess spent a significant period as a marine mammal specialist, a role that involved gaining confidence of the aquatic animals.

“Developing those relationships over time takes a lot of regularity and a lot of affection. At the outset, they’re very cautious of you,” she said. “In time, you gain reciprocal understanding. And they start being more trusting with you. It’s just so extraordinary and gratifying.”

The trainer knew the whales were highly intelligent, but she says she was nonetheless surprised by the nuances and idiosyncrasies in their dispositions. She formed a special affection for Eve and Cleopatra with contrasting personalities.

“Eve accepted me. The other demanded work,” she said. “Both transformed the way I view relationships.”

Public Concerns and Deteriorating Conditions

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

During her tenure at the attraction, seven belugas and the park’s one orca, Kiska, passed away. In all, 19 belugas have perished at the park since 2019, a toll which the facility ascribes to age-related causes, but which activists say reflects the substandard environment in which they were maintained.

The facility did not operate to the visitors over the summer, but Burgess says she saw with her own eyes results of the closure. “Structural materials is falling apart from the enclosures because they’re in disrepair and not being maintained. The whales are curious and so they grab fragments and swim around with fragments in their jaws. It’s distressing to see.”

The park did not comment to a request for comment, but previously asserted: “The whales … receive far better health care and around the clock supervision than any individual in the United Kingdom, or other places.”

Uncertain Future and Proposed Solutions

Burgess was dismissed from the facility in the spring following the death of Eos, an ailing beluga the park staff had to euthanize. She said the facility thought particulars of the incident were disclosed to the media and she was released shortly thereafter.

The ambiguity over the whales’ fate has left her and staff members in despair. She says the park’s warning to end the lives of its whales is a leverage tool and is a “logistically impossible” endeavor, adding any attempts to euthanize even a individual beluga would require “significant manpower”, trucks and machinery.

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

She advocates for demands for the whales to be transferred promptly from the facility, with its crumbling tanks and dwindling staff.

In late September, Canada’s government official denied a request to export the whales to an overseas location.

“Allowing the request would have meant a ongoing life in captivity and a return to display for amusement,” the official wrote. “As society, we know that belugas belong in the sea, not in tanks for our enjoyment. I could not in ethical standing permit an transfer that would continue the treatment these belugas have suffered.”

But the former trainer said the minister’s comments reveal a more general lack of awareness of the facts of living conditions for belugas raised in confinement.

“The society needs to grasp these are whales that have spent their whole lives in confinement and they will need constant supervision for the rest of their years,” she said. “Many just don’t understand that it’s not as easy as saying ‘end operations’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Continuing Discussion

As authorities attempt to find a solution, suggestions have emerged, some of which have minimal feasibility. An idea called for the belugas to be let go into the open waters of the Arctic – where whales are a primary resource of food for Indigenous peoples.

A suggested protected area in the province of eastern Canada, which now received government approval, has shown to be highly debated. The planned location, which includes a large area of penned in ocean, remains undeveloped. Advocates remain hopeful that it could ultimately represent a sustainable resolution for eight of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among staff she’s discussed with, there is “doubts there” about what she said is “simply an untested concept” in the whales’ well-being.

Some experts say the possibility of a protected habitat indicates a changing attitudes away from zoos and aquariums and could represent a viable plan in the coming months.

An official, head of the sanctuary project, said the facility will mimic the cognitive activities and diet the whales get from trainers, albeit in a significantly bigger space. He said after the health of whales is fully assessed, which could take months|an extended period|