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Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie Botts is an adorable little “ham sandwich”. The whale Orion – called “Onion” – is a large but guardian-like friend. Another whale, Zephyr has “ants in his pants” and moves like a wiggly creature. Lillooet the beluga is the “loving presence” with a kind nature.

A group of thirty enclosed marine mammals in a Canada-based entertainment facility have become pawns in a disagreement between a defunct facility, local and national governments and animal rights activists.

But those working directly with the whales say the heated debate over their future often fails to consider the individual traits of the whales who, after spending their lives in captivity, have been closely studied by the caretakers who interact with them daily.

After the federal government prevented the transfer of the belugas to China, the struggling facility near the famous falls where they are held threatened to put them down unless the federal government pays for the upkeep of their care. The nation’s marine resources official has refused that ultimatum, placing the thirty whales in an dangerously unstable situation.

Highly Cognitive Sea Creatures

Scientists say that beluga whales’ neuroanatomy, along with their vocal imitation skills, problem solving and social skills suggest they are remarkably smart mammals – something one caretaker learned personally.

Burgess spent three years as a marine mammal specialist, a role that required earning the trust of the aquatic animals.

“Establishing those relationships over time takes a lot of regularity and a lot of love. At the start, they’re very unsure of you,” she said. “In time, you gain mutual trust. And they start being more open with you. It’s just so extraordinary and fulfilling.”

The trainer knew the whales were exceptionally cognitive, but she says she was nevertheless astounded by the nuances and idiosyncrasies in their personalities. She cultivated a special affection for two female belugas with contrasting natures.

“Eve chose me. The other demanded work,” she said. “They altered the way I perceive relationships.”

Public Concerns and Facility Decline

Her interaction with the whales developed against a context of rising activist criticism to their captivity.

During her tenure at the attraction, multiple belugas and the park’s one killer whale, the orca, succumbed. In all, 19 belugas have died at the park since 2019, a statistic which the park ascribes to natural mortality, but which activists say reflects the substandard environment in which they were maintained.

The park did not admit visitors to the public over the summer, but Burgess says she observed directly effects of the closure. “Concrete is falling apart from the pools because they’re falling apart and not being repaired. The whales are curious and so they take pieces and navigate with pieces in their mouth. It’s upsetting to see.”

The park did not comment to a request for comment, but previously stated: “The whales … receive far higher quality medical attention and around the clock care than any individual in the United Kingdom, or anywhere else.”

Uncertain Future and Proposed Solutions

The former employee was fired from the facility in early March following the passing of a beluga, an unwell beluga the employees had to euthanize. She said the park believed information of the incident were shared to the press and she was released not long after.

The lack of clarity over the whales’ fate has left Burgess and staff members in despair. She says the facility’s ultimatum to euthanize its whales is a leverage tool and is a “logistically impossible” undertaking, adding any efforts to humanely kill even a one beluga would require “immense staff”, trucks and machinery.

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

She backs calls for the whales to be transferred immediately from the facility, with its failing enclosures and shrinking team.

In late September, the nation’s fisheries minister denied a proposal to transfer the whales to China.

“To approve the proposal would have meant a continued situation in enclosure and a reversion to public entertainment,” the official commented. “As Canadians, we know that marine mammals belong in the wild, not in pools for our amusement. I could not in good conscience approve an transfer that would perpetuate the situation these belugas have experienced.”

But the former trainer said the minister’s comments indicate a more general lack of awareness of the circumstances of existence for belugas born in captivity.

“The society needs to understand these are whales that have spent their whole lives in captivity and they will need constant supervision for the rest of their years,” she said. “Many just don’t understand that it’s not as simple as saying ‘end operations’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Ongoing Debate

As officials struggle to find a solution, proposals have emerged, some of which have minimal feasibility. A suggested plan called for the belugas to be freed into the natural habitat of Canada’s north – where whales are a key source of nourishment for Indigenous peoples.

A planned refuge in the region of eastern Canada, which now received regulatory clearance, has proven highly debated. The prospective site, which includes extensive space of protected cove, doesn’t yet exist. Proponents remain positive that it could in time represent a sustainable answer for eight of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among staff she’s consulted, there is “skepticism there” about what she said is “merely an trial” in the whales’ well-being.

Others say the prospect of a protected habitat reflects a broader global shift away from zoos and aquariums and could represent a workable plan in the near future.

Charles Vinick, head of the initiative, said the facility will mimic the mental engagement and diet the whales receive from caretakers, albeit in a more expansive space. He said after the well-being of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|