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Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie is an charming small “sweetheart”. The whale Orion – called “Onion” – is a large but guardian-like companion. Zephyr has “endless energy” and sways like a wiggly creature. Lillooet the beluga is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a gentle spirit.

Thirty enclosed marine mammals in a Canada-based amusement park have been entangled in a tussle between a defunct facility, local and national governments and welfare campaigners.

But those working directly with the whales say the heated controversy over their destiny often overlooks the nuances 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 national authorities disallowed the transfer of the belugas to China, the controversial attraction near Niagara Falls where they are housed warned to put them down unless the authorities pays for the expense of keeping them alive. The nation’s marine resources official has refused that demand, placing the thirty whales in an ever more uncertain circumstance.

Intelligent Sea Creatures

Scientists say that belugas’ brain structure, along with their mimicry abilities, intellectual tasks and social skills point to they are deeply intelligent mammals – something a former trainer learned directly.

She spent three years as a beluga trainer, a position that entailed gaining confidence of the aquatic animals.

“Building up those connections over time takes a lot of regularity and a lot of affection. At the beginning, they’re very wary of you,” she said. “In time, you gain shared confidence. And they start being more trusting with you. It’s just so extraordinary and fulfilling.”

Burgess knew the whales were exceptionally cognitive, but she says she was even so astounded by the nuances and unique traits in their characters. She formed a particular love for Eve and Cleopatra with contrasting personalities.

“One whale chose me. Cleo made me earn it,” she said. “Each altered the way I perceive bonding.”

Public Concerns and Facility Decline

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

During her tenure at the facility, seven belugas and the park’s single killer whale, the orca, succumbed. In all, 19 belugas have perished at the park since 2019, a statistic which the facility links to expected lifespan, but which campaigners say reflects the substandard environment in which they were kept.

The park did not admit visitors to the visitors over the summer, but the former trainer says she witnessed firsthand consequences of the closure. “Structural materials is deteriorating from the pools because they’re degrading and not being maintained. The whales are exploratory and so they pick it up and swim around with pieces 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 higher quality medical attention and around the clock attention than any individual in the UK, or anywhere else.”

Fate in Limbo and Potential Resolutions

The former employee was dismissed from the facility in early March following the passing of Eos, an ailing beluga the caretakers had to put down. She said the park suspected details of the incident were shared to the media and she was let go shortly thereafter.

The uncertainty over the whales’ fate has left Burgess and other caretakers in anguish. She says the facility’s warning to euthanize its whales is a leverage tool and is a “logistically impossible” task, adding any efforts to put down even a one beluga would require “significant manpower”, trucks and specialized tools.

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

Burgess advocates for requests for the whales to be taken promptly from the park, with its crumbling tanks and shrinking team.

In late September, Canada’s government official denied a proposal to send the whales to China.

“Granting the application would have meant a ongoing situation in confinement and a return to display for amusement,” the official commented. “As society, we know that marine mammals are meant for the ocean, not in tanks for our amusement. I could not in good conscience authorize an transfer that would perpetuate the conditions these belugas have experienced.”

But Burgess said the minister’s remarks reveal a wider lack of awareness of the circumstances of life for belugas raised in confinement.

“The society needs to grasp these are whales that have lived entirely in enclosed habitats and they will need ongoing assistance for the remainder of their lives,” she said. “People just don’t realize that it’s not as easy as saying ‘close it down’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Continuing Discussion

As authorities attempt to find a resolution, suggestions have emerged, some of which have little basis in reality. One proposal called for the belugas to be let go into the natural habitat of the Arctic – where whales are a important part of sustenance for Indigenous peoples.

A suggested sanctuary in the region of Nova Scotia, which has received government approval, has proven highly debated. The future facility, which includes extensive space of enclosed sea water, is not yet built. Supporters remain hopeful that it could eventually represent a long term resolution for a number of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among trainers she’s spoken with, there is “no trust there” about what she said is “simply an experiment” in the whales’ fate.

Others say the prospect of a sanctuary reflects a worldwide trend away from animal displays and could represent a feasible plan in the near future.

An official, head of the sanctuary project, said the location will mimic the mental engagement and diet the whales get from caretakers, albeit in a significantly bigger area. He said after the well-being of whales is fully assessed, which could take months|an extended period|