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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie Botts is an cute little “ham sandwich”. Orion – nicknamed “Onion Ring” – is a big but guardian-like friend. Zephyr has “endless energy” and wiggles like a worm. Lillooet the beluga is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a gentle spirit.

A group of thirty enclosed beluga whales in a Canadian amusement park have become pawns in a tussle between a closed attraction, public officials and advocacy groups.

But those most familiar with the whales say the intense discussion over their future often ignores the complexities of the whales who, after living their entire lives in enclosed habitats, have been thoroughly researched by the people who see them each day.

After the Canadian government blocked the export of the belugas to a foreign facility, the controversial amusement park near the famous falls where they are held warned to end their lives unless the federal government covers the upkeep of keeping them alive. Canada’s fisheries minister has refused that request, placing the thirty whales in an increasingly precarious position.

Intelligent Marine Mammals

Researchers say that beluga whales’ neuroanatomy, along with their vocal imitation skills, problem solving and group interactions suggest they are highly cognitive animals – something a former trainer discovered first-hand.

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

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

The trainer knew the whales were very smart, but she says she was nevertheless surprised by the subtleties and quirks in their personalities. She cultivated a deep bond for two female belugas with opposing natures.

“One whale accepted me. The other required effort,” she said. “Both changed the way I view connection.”

Public Concerns and Deteriorating Conditions

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

During her tenure at the facility, multiple belugas and the park’s one killer whale, Kiska, succumbed. In total, 19 belugas have died at the park since recent years, a statistic which the facility attributes to expected lifespan, but which campaigners say reflects the inadequate care in which they were maintained.

The facility did not operate to the guests over the recent season, but Burgess says she witnessed firsthand effects of the shutdown. “Structural materials is deteriorating from the enclosures because they’re degrading and not being fixed. The whales are inquisitive and so they take pieces and navigate with fragments in their jaws. It’s distressing to see.”

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

Uncertain Future and Proposed Solutions

The former employee was terminated from the facility in early March following the demise of a beluga, an ailing beluga the caretakers had to put down. She said the facility believed particulars of the incident were shared to the media and she was let go shortly thereafter.

The lack of clarity over the whales’ future has left Burgess and other caretakers in anguish. She says the park’s ultimatum to kill its whales is a bargaining chip and is a “extremely difficult” undertaking, adding any attempts to put down even a one beluga would require “significant staff”, vehicles and heavy equipment.

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

She backs requests for the whales to be taken immediately from the facility, with its deteriorating pools and dwindling staff.

In recent months, Canada’s fisheries minister rejected a proposal to send the whales to an overseas location.

“Allowing the request would have meant a continued existence in enclosure and a return to public entertainment,” the official wrote. “As the public, we know that marine mammals belong in the ocean, not in enclosures for our enjoyment. I could not in good conscience approve an relocation that would continue the treatment these belugas have suffered.”

But the former trainer said the minister’s remarks reflect a more general incorrect perception of the facts of existence for belugas raised in confinement.

“The public needs to grasp these are whales that have lived entirely in captivity and they will need ongoing assistance for the rest of their years,” she said. “Many just don’t understand that it’s not as easy as saying ‘shut it down’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Continuing Discussion

As authorities attempt to find a resolution, suggestions have been put forward, some of which have questionable practicality. A suggested plan called for the belugas to be freed into the natural habitat of Canada’s north – where whales are a primary resource of nourishment for Indigenous peoples.

A proposed refuge in the province of eastern Canada, which has received regulatory clearance, has shown to be contentious. The future site, which includes 100 acres of protected cove, is not yet built. Supporters remain hopeful that it could in time represent a permanent resolution for eight of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among trainers she’s spoken with, there is “no trust there” about what she said is “merely an untested concept” in the whales’ future.

Some experts say the possibility of a refuge indicates a broader global shift away from zoos and aquariums and could represent a viable solution in the short term.

The project lead, director of the plan, said the facility will simulate the mental engagement and nutrition the whales get from trainers, albeit in a significantly bigger environment. He said after the well-being of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|