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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie Botts is an adorable little “ham sandwich”. The whale Orion – nicknamed “Onion Ring” – is a sizeable but very loyal companion. Another whale, Zephyr has “endless energy” and moves like a worm. Lillooet the beluga is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a gentle spirit.

A group of thirty captive marine mammals in a Canada-based entertainment facility have been caught in a disagreement between a defunct facility, public officials and animal rights activists.

But those closest to the whales say the intense controversy over their fate often overlooks the individual traits of the whales who, after growing up in captivity, have been thoroughly researched by the caretakers who interact with them daily.

After the national authorities prevented the sale of the belugas to a foreign facility, the embattled amusement park near the famous falls where they are housed threatened to euthanize them unless the federal government funds the expense of their survival. The nation’s marine resources official has denied that request, placing the thirty whales in an ever more uncertain position.

Highly Cognitive Sea Creatures

Researchers say that belugas’ neuroanatomy, along with their mimicry abilities, problem solving and social skills point to they are highly cognitive mammals – something one caretaker learned directly.

She spent a significant period as a marine mammal specialist, a position that involved earning the trust of the aquatic animals.

“Building up those bonds over time takes a lot of dedication and a lot of affection. At the beginning, they’re very wary of you,” she said. “Eventually, you gain mutual trust. And they start being more trusting with you. It’s just so wonderful and fulfilling.”

Burgess knew the whales were exceptionally cognitive, but she says she was nevertheless surprised by the nuances and unique traits in their personalities. She developed a particular love for a pair of whales with opposing natures.

“Eve chose me. Cleo required effort,” she said. “Each altered the way I understand relationships.”

Growing Opposition and Facility Decline

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

During her time at the park, seven belugas and the park’s one orca, the orca, succumbed. In all, nineteen belugas have died at the park since 2019, a statistic which the facility attributes to age-related causes, but which activists say reflects the inadequate care in which they were maintained.

The facility did not admit visitors to the guests over the recent season, but the former trainer says she observed directly consequences of the closure. “Concrete is deteriorating from the enclosures because they’re in disrepair and not being repaired. The whales are exploratory and so they pick it up and move about with pieces in their mouth. It’s heartbreaking to see.”

The facility did not reply to a questionnaire, but in the past stated: “The whales … obtain far superior medical attention and 24/7 care than any person in the United Kingdom, or other places.”

Fate in Limbo and Potential Resolutions

The former employee was fired from the facility in early March following the death of Eos, an ailing beluga the caretakers had to humanely kill. She said the facility believed details of the incident were shared to the press and she was let go soon after.

The ambiguity over the whales’ fate has left Burgess and other caretakers in anguish. She says the park’s threat to euthanize its whales is a leverage tool and is a “extremely difficult” endeavor, adding any plans to humanely kill even a individual beluga would require “immense personnel”, trucks and machinery.

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

She supports demands for the whales to be removed promptly from the facility, with its deteriorating pools and shrinking team.

In recent months, the nation’s government official rejected a proposal to send the whales to China.

“To approve the application would have meant a perpetual situation in captivity and a reversion to public entertainment,” the minister commented. “As the public, we know that marine mammals are meant for the sea, not in enclosures for our enjoyment. I could not in clear conscience permit an relocation that would continue the conditions these belugas have experienced.”

But Burgess said the official’s statements reflect a broader lack of awareness of the facts of life for belugas born in captivity.

“The society needs to realize these are whales that have lived entirely in confinement and they will need constant supervision for the remainder of their lives,” she said. “People just don’t comprehend that it’s not as simple as saying ‘end operations’.”

Alternative Habitat and Continuing Discussion

As authorities work to find a solution, proposals have surfaced, some of which have questionable practicality. One proposal called for the belugas to be let go into the wilds of Canada’s north – where whales are a important part of nourishment for Indigenous peoples.

A suggested sanctuary in the province of eastern Canada, which has received regulatory clearance, has been most controversial. The prospective location, which includes 100 acres of penned in ocean, doesn’t yet exist. Advocates remain hopeful that it could eventually represent a sustainable resolution for some of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among staff she’s discussed with, there is “skepticism there” about what she said is “merely an experiment” in the whales’ fate.

Others say the possibility of a refuge reflects a broader global shift away from zoos and aquariums and could represent a feasible approach in the short term.

The project lead, head of the initiative, said the site will simulate the intellectual stimulation and feeding regimen the whales obtain from trainers, albeit in a much larger space. He said after the health of whales is fully assessed, which could take months|an extended period|