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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie is an charming small “sweetheart”. Orion – called “Onion Ring” – is a large but very loyal companion. Another whale, Zephyr has “endless energy” and sways like a wiggly creature. Lillooet is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a heart of gold.

A group of thirty enclosed marine mammals in a Canada-based amusement park have been caught in a tussle between a defunct facility, government authorities and advocacy groups.

But those closest to the whales say the heated debate over their future often overlooks the nuances of the whales who, after growing up in confinement, have been carefully observed by the caretakers who see them each day.

After the federal government blocked the transfer of the belugas to China, the controversial amusement park near the famous falls where they are housed warned to end their lives unless the authorities covers the expense of their care. Canada’s marine resources official has denied that request, placing the thirty whales in an dangerously unstable position.

Intelligent Sea Creatures

Experts say that beluga whales’ brain structure, along with their vocal imitation skills, problem solving and communal behavior suggest they are remarkably smart animals – something one caretaker observed personally.

She spent three years as a whale caretaker, a position that required gaining confidence of the aquatic animals.

“Establishing those connections over time takes a lot of dedication and a lot of affection. At the start, they’re very unsure of you,” she said. “Eventually, you gain mutual trust. And they start being more trusting with you. It’s just so extraordinary and gratifying.”

Burgess knew the whales were highly intelligent, but she says she was nevertheless astounded by the nuances and unique traits in their personalities. She cultivated a deep bond for Eve and Cleopatra with opposing temperaments.

“Eve chose me. The other required effort,” she said. “They changed the way I view bonding.”

Public Concerns and Facility Decline

Burgess’s interaction with the whales evolved against a backdrop of rising activist criticism to their enclosure.

During her three years at the attraction, multiple belugas and the park’s single killer whale, Kiska, succumbed. In total, 19 belugas have perished at the park since recent years, a statistic which the park attributes to natural mortality, but which campaigners say reflects the poor conditions in which they were housed.

The facility did not open to the public over the summer, but Burgess says she observed directly results of the closure. “Structural materials is deteriorating from the enclosures because they’re degrading and not being fixed. The whales are exploratory and so they pick it up and move about with chunks in their mouth. It’s distressing to see.”

The park did not reply to a questionnaire, but previously asserted: “The whales … get far superior veterinary services and 24/7 attention than any human in the UK, or other places.”

Fate in Limbo and Potential Resolutions

The former employee was fired from the park in early March following the demise of a beluga, an sick beluga the park staff had to humanely kill. She said the park believed information of the incident were shared to the media and she was released soon after.

The uncertainty over the whales’ future has left her and staff members in anguish. She says the park’s ultimatum to euthanize its whales is a bargaining chip and is a “practically unfeasible” undertaking, adding any efforts to euthanize even a single beluga would require “immense manpower”, equipment and specialized tools.

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

Burgess supports calls for the whales to be transferred right away from the park, with its deteriorating pools and reduced personnel.

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

“Granting the request would have meant a ongoing life in captivity and a reversion to display for amusement,” the minister stated. “As society, we know that belugas are meant for the ocean, not in pools for our amusement. I could not in good conscience authorize an relocation that would prolong the treatment these belugas have suffered.”

But the former trainer said the official’s statements reveal a more general lack of awareness of the realities of life for belugas living their whole lives in enclosures.

“The public needs to grasp these are whales that have existed solely in enclosed habitats and they will need constant supervision for the foreseeable future,” she said. “The public just don’t understand that it’s not as straightforward as saying ‘close it down’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Ongoing Debate

As decision makers work to find a resolution, ideas have emerged, some of which have minimal feasibility. 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 local populations.

A planned sanctuary in the region of eastern Canada, which now received government approval, has been highly debated. The planned location, which includes a large area of protected cove, is not yet built. Advocates remain optimistic that it could ultimately represent a long term solution for a number 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.

Some experts say the idea of a sanctuary indicates a worldwide trend away from captive facilities and could represent a feasible plan in the short term.

An official, director of the plan, said the site will replicate the cognitive activities and nutrition the whales receive from specialists, albeit in a more expansive area. He said after the well-being of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|