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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie Botts is an charming small “ham sandwich”. The whale Orion – called “Onion Ring” – is a large but very loyal companion. Zephyr has “constant motion” and moves like a worm. Lillooet is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a heart of gold.

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

But those closest to the whales say the intense debate over their future often overlooks the individual traits of the whales who, after growing up in enclosed habitats, have been closely studied by the humans who interact with them daily.

After the federal government blocked the transfer of the belugas to China, the embattled attraction near the famous falls where they are kept stated it would consider to put them down unless the federal government funds the cost of their care. Canada’s marine resources official has rejected that demand, placing the 30 whales in an dangerously unstable circumstance.

Intelligent Marine Mammals

Scientists say that beluga whales’ neuroanatomy, along with their mimicry abilities, cognitive challenges and communal behavior point to they are deeply intelligent mammals – something Kristy Burgess learned directly.

She spent three years as a beluga trainer, a role that required building relationships of the marine predators.

“Developing those connections over time takes a lot of dedication and a lot of love. At the outset, they’re very unsure of you,” she said. “Over time, you gain shared confidence. And they start being more trusting with you. It’s just so wonderful and fulfilling.”

The trainer knew the whales were highly intelligent, but she says she was even so surprised by the subtleties and unique traits in their dispositions. She developed a deep bond for a pair of whales with opposing personalities.

“Eve chose me. Cleo demanded work,” she said. “Both altered the way I understand connection.”

Public Concerns and Deteriorating Conditions

Burgess’s connection with the whales developed against a context of growing public opposition to their enclosure.

During her tenure at the attraction, seven belugas and the park’s single orca, the orca, died. In total, nineteen belugas have perished at the park since 2019, a number which the park attributes to natural mortality, but which campaigners say reflects the substandard environment in which they were maintained.

The facility did not open to the visitors over the summer, but Burgess says she witnessed firsthand results of the shutdown. “Concrete is breaking off from the tanks because they’re falling apart and not being fixed. The whales are curious and so they take pieces and swim around with fragments in their jaws. It’s heartbreaking to see.”

The park did not reply to a questionnaire, but previously stated: “The whales … obtain far better veterinary services and around the clock supervision than any human in the UK, or other places.”

Uncertain Future and Potential Resolutions

The former employee was fired from the park in recent months following the passing of a beluga, an ailing beluga the caretakers had to humanely kill. She said the facility believed details of the incident were leaked to the news outlets and she was released soon after.

The ambiguity over the whales’ outcome has left her and staff members in anguish. She says the facility’s warning to kill its whales is a bargaining chip and is a “logistically impossible” undertaking, adding any attempts to humanely kill even a single beluga would require “immense manpower”, trucks and machinery.

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

Burgess advocates for demands for the whales to be transferred right away from the facility, with its crumbling tanks and dwindling staff.

In recent months, the nation’s government official turned down a proposal to transfer the whales to China.

“To approve the proposal would have meant a perpetual life in captivity and a return to performance for audiences,” the minister stated. “As the public, we know that marine mammals should be in the ocean, not in enclosures for our entertainment. I could not in ethical standing authorize an transfer that would continue the situation these belugas have endured.”

But Burgess said the official’s remarks reveal a broader lack of awareness of the realities of existence for belugas raised in confinement.

“The society needs to understand these are whales that have existed solely in confinement and they will need ongoing assistance for the foreseeable future,” she said. “Many just don’t understand that it’s not as straightforward as saying ‘end operations’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Ongoing Debate

As officials work to find a resolution, ideas have surfaced, some of which have questionable practicality. An idea called for the belugas to be freed into the wilds of northern regions – where whales are a important part of food for local populations.

A planned sanctuary in the region of eastern Canada, which has received regulatory clearance, has been highly debated. The prospective facility, which includes a large area of enclosed sea water, doesn’t yet exist. Proponents remain hopeful that it could eventually represent a sustainable answer for eight of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among caretakers she’s consulted, there is “no trust there” about what she said is “only an trial” in the whales’ well-being.

Some experts say the possibility of a protected habitat indicates a broader global shift away from zoos and aquariums and could represent a feasible approach in the near future.

Charles Vinick, head of the initiative, said the location will replicate the intellectual stimulation and nutrition the whales obtain from specialists, albeit in a much larger area. He said after the medical condition of whales is fully assessed, which could take months|an extended period|