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Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie Botts is an cute little “playful character”. The whale Orion – called “Onion Ring” – is a large but fiercely protective friend. Zephyr has “constant motion” and wiggles like a worm. Lillooet is the “most affectionate” with a kind nature.

Thirty captive marine mammals in a Canada-based entertainment facility have been caught in a disagreement between a defunct facility, government authorities and animal rights activists.

But those closest to the whales say the impassioned debate over their future often ignores the individual traits of the whales who, after living their entire lives in enclosed habitats, have been carefully observed by the humans who see them each day.

After the national authorities blocked the export of the belugas to a foreign facility, the controversial amusement park near the famous falls where they are housed warned to end their lives unless the federal government funds the expense of keeping them alive. Canada’s marine resources official has refused that request, placing the 30 whales in an increasingly precarious situation.

Intelligent Sea Creatures

Experts say that belugas’ neural makeup, along with their mimicry abilities, cognitive challenges and communal behavior point to they are remarkably smart animals – something Kristy Burgess learned personally.

She spent several years as a marine mammal specialist, a role that required gaining confidence of the sea creatures.

“Developing those relationships over time takes a lot of consistency and a lot of care. At the outset, they’re very cautious of you,” she said. “In time, you gain shared confidence. And they start being more trusting with you. It’s just so magical and fulfilling.”

Burgess knew the whales were exceptionally cognitive, but she says she was even so astounded by the details and unique traits in their personalities. She formed a particular love for a pair of whales with contrasting temperaments.

“Eve chose me. Cleo demanded work,” she said. “They altered the way I perceive bonding.”

Public Concerns and Facility Decline

Her interaction with the whales evolved against a backdrop of increasing societal concern to their enclosure.

During her three years at the facility, multiple belugas and the park’s one orca, Kiska, died. In total, 19 belugas have perished at the park since 2019, a number which the park links to natural mortality, but which activists say points to the substandard environment in which they were maintained.

The facility did not admit visitors to the visitors over the recent season, but Burgess says she observed directly results of the shutdown. “Structural materials is falling apart from the tanks because they’re degrading and not being maintained. The whales are exploratory and so they grab fragments and move about with chunks in their mouth. It’s distressing to see.”

The facility did not respond to a questionnaire, but in the past claimed: “The whales … obtain far superior veterinary services and constant attention than any human in the UK, or elsewhere.”

Fate in Limbo and Potential Resolutions

Burgess was dismissed from the park in the spring following the death of a beluga, an unwell beluga the employees had to euthanize. She said the park thought details of the death were disclosed to the media and she was fired shortly thereafter.

The lack of clarity over the whales’ future has left her and other caretakers in despair. She says the park’s ultimatum to kill its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “practically unfeasible” task, adding any efforts to euthanize even a one beluga would require “significant manpower”, equipment and machinery.

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

Burgess supports requests for the whales to be taken promptly from the park, with its crumbling tanks and dwindling staff.

In the autumn, the nation’s fisheries minister turned down a request to export the whales to an overseas location.

“To approve the proposal would have meant a continued situation in captivity and a return to display for amusement,” the official stated. “As Canadians, we know that marine mammals are meant for the sea, not in enclosures for our enjoyment. I could not in ethical standing approve an export that would perpetuate the conditions these belugas have experienced.”

But the former trainer said the minister’s statements reflect a more general misunderstanding of the circumstances of existence for belugas living their whole lives in enclosures.

“The people needs to understand these are whales that have spent their whole lives in enclosed habitats and they will need human care for the remainder of their lives,” she said. “Many just don’t understand that it’s not as straightforward as saying ‘end operations’.”

Alternative Habitat and Ongoing Debate

As officials work to find a answer, proposals have surfaced, 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 key source of nourishment for Indigenous peoples.

A suggested protected area in the region of Nova Scotia, which recently received regulatory clearance, has proven contentious. The planned site, which includes 100 acres of penned in ocean, doesn’t yet exist. Supporters remain optimistic that it could eventually represent a sustainable resolution for some of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among caretakers she’s spoken with, there is “doubts there” about what she said is “simply an trial” in the whales’ fate.

Others say the prospect of a sanctuary represents a worldwide trend away from zoos and aquariums and could represent a viable approach in the coming months.

Charles Vinick, director of the sanctuary project, said the site will replicate the cognitive activities and feeding regimen the whales receive from caretakers, albeit in a significantly bigger space. He said after the well-being of whales is fully assessed, which could take months|an extended period|