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Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie Botts is an adorable little “playful character”. The whale Orion – called “Onion” – is a large but guardian-like friend. Another whale, Zephyr has “endless energy” 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 shuttered park, local and national governments and advocacy groups.

But those closest to the whales say the intense controversy over their fate often overlooks the nuances of the whales who, after spending their lives in confinement, have been carefully observed by the humans who work with them regularly.

After the Canadian government disallowed the export of the belugas to a foreign facility, the struggling attraction near the famous falls where they are held warned to put them down unless the authorities pays for the cost of their care. The nation’s fisheries minister has denied that ultimatum, placing the thirty whales in an ever more uncertain position.

Intelligent Sea Creatures

Experts say that beluga whales’ brain structure, along with their mimicry abilities, cognitive challenges and group interactions indicate they are remarkably smart animals – something one caretaker learned personally.

She spent several years as a beluga trainer, a job that required gaining confidence of the aquatic animals.

“Developing those connections over time takes a lot of dedication and a lot of care. At the outset, they’re very cautious of you,” she said. “In time, you gain mutual trust. And they start being more open with you. It’s just so magical and gratifying.”

The trainer knew the whales were very smart, but she says she was nonetheless surprised by the nuances and idiosyncrasies in their characters. She formed a deep bond for Eve and Cleopatra with opposing temperaments.

“Eve chose me. Cleo demanded work,” she said. “Each changed the way I perceive relationships.”

Growing Opposition and Deteriorating Conditions

Her relationship with the whales developed against a background of growing public opposition to their captivity.

During her time at the attraction, multiple belugas and the park’s single killer whale, Kiska, died. In total, nineteen belugas have perished at the park since 2019, a number which the park links to natural mortality, but which campaigners say reflects the substandard environment in which they were maintained.

The facility did not admit visitors to the public over the summer, but the former trainer says she observed directly effects of the closure. “Concrete is falling apart from the enclosures because they’re in disrepair and not being repaired. The whales are curious and so they grab fragments and move about with chunks in their jaws. It’s distressing to see.”

The facility did not comment to a questionnaire, but earlier stated: “The whales … obtain far higher quality health care and constant attention than any individual in the Britain, or other places.”

Uncertain Future and Proposed Solutions

Burgess was terminated from the facility in early March following the death of Eos, an sick beluga the caretakers had to put down. She said the park believed details of the death were shared to the news outlets and she was let go shortly thereafter.

The ambiguity over the whales’ outcome has left her and other caretakers in anguish. She says the facility’s warning to euthanize its whales is a bargaining chip and is a “extremely difficult” endeavor, adding any plans to humanely kill even a single beluga would require “considerable manpower”, vehicles and specialized tools.

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

Burgess supports requests for the whales to be transferred immediately from the facility, with its deteriorating pools and reduced personnel.

In late September, the nation’s government official turned down a bid to transfer the whales to China.

“To approve the application would have meant a continued situation in confinement and a reversion to performance for audiences,” the official commented. “As society, we know that belugas belong in the sea, not in tanks for our enjoyment. I could not in ethical standing approve an export that would continue the conditions these belugas have endured.”

But Burgess said the official’s statements reflect a broader misunderstanding of the realities of living conditions for belugas born in captivity.

“The public needs to grasp these are whales that have lived entirely in confinement and they will need constant supervision for the foreseeable future,” she said. “Many just don’t comprehend that it’s not as simple as saying ‘shut it down’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Continuing Discussion

As authorities struggle to find a solution, proposals have been put forward, some of which have questionable practicality. A suggested plan called for the belugas to be let go into the open waters of the Arctic – where whales are a important part of food for local populations.

A proposed sanctuary in the region of Nova Scotia, which recently received official endorsement, has proven most controversial. The prospective location, which includes a large area of penned in ocean, is not yet built. Advocates remain hopeful that it could in time represent a long term answer for eight of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among caretakers she’s discussed with, there is “skepticism there” about what she said is “merely an experiment” in the whales’ well-being.

Some experts say the idea of a refuge reflects a broader global shift away from captive facilities and could represent a viable plan in the short term.

An official, leader of the initiative, said the facility will simulate the cognitive activities and nutrition the whales get from specialists, albeit in a much larger area. He said after the health of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|