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Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie Botts is an adorable little “playful character”. Orion – nicknamed “Onion Ring” – is a large but guardian-like friend. Zephyr has “constant motion” and sways like a worm. Lillooet the beluga is the “most affectionate” with a heart of gold.

Thirty captive marine mammals in a Canadian amusement park have become pawns in a struggle between a closed attraction, government authorities and advocacy groups.

But those most familiar with the whales say the heated controversy over their destiny often fails to consider the nuances of the whales who, after growing up in confinement, have been closely studied by the people who interact with them daily.

After the national authorities disallowed the sale of the belugas to a foreign facility, the embattled attraction near the famous falls where they are held threatened to euthanize them unless the federal government pays for the upkeep of keeping them alive. Canada’s marine resources official has rejected that demand, placing the thirty whales in an ever more uncertain situation.

Highly Cognitive Marine Mammals

Scientists say that beluga whales’ neural makeup, along with their sound replication, problem solving and group interactions indicate they are remarkably smart animals – something a former trainer observed first-hand.

She spent a significant period as a whale caretaker, a job that entailed building relationships of the sea creatures.

“Developing those bonds over time takes a lot of dedication and a lot of affection. At the start, they’re very wary of you,” she said. “Eventually, you gain shared confidence. And they start being more trusting with you. It’s just so extraordinary and gratifying.”

Burgess knew the whales were exceptionally cognitive, but she says she was nevertheless surprised by the nuances and unique traits in their dispositions. She formed a special affection for two female belugas with contrasting personalities.

“Eve accepted me. Cleo required effort,” she said. “They changed the way I understand relationships.”

Growing Opposition and Facility Decline

Her connection with the whales progressed against a background of rising activist criticism to their enclosure.

During her time at the attraction, multiple belugas and the park’s single orca, the orca, succumbed. In total, 19 belugas have perished at the park since recent years, a number which the facility attributes to natural mortality, but which campaigners say reflects the inadequate care in which they were housed.

The facility did not open to the guests over the summer, but the former trainer says she saw with her own eyes results of the shutdown. “Concrete is breaking off from the pools because they’re degrading and not being fixed. The whales are curious and so they pick it up and swim around with fragments in their mouth. It’s distressing to see.”

The park did not reply to a request for comment, but previously asserted: “The whales … get far higher quality health care and 24/7 care than any person in the United Kingdom, or other places.”

Fate in Limbo and Potential Resolutions

Burgess was terminated from the facility in early March following the demise 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 let go not long after.

The uncertainty over the whales’ fate has left Burgess and staff members in anguish. She says the park’s ultimatum to end the lives of its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “extremely difficult” endeavor, adding any attempts to euthanize even a single beluga would require “considerable staff”, trucks and machinery.

“It’s impossible in hell the staff would ever do it,” she said.

She advocates for calls for the whales to be taken promptly from the facility, with its crumbling tanks and dwindling staff.

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

“Granting the request would have meant a perpetual situation in captivity and a return to performance for audiences,” the official stated. “As Canadians, we know that belugas should be in the ocean, not in tanks for our amusement. I could not in clear conscience authorize an relocation that would perpetuate the treatment these belugas have endured.”

But the former trainer said the minister’s remarks indicate a more general lack of awareness of the realities of living conditions for belugas living their whole lives in enclosures.

“The people needs to grasp these are whales that have spent their whole lives in enclosed habitats and they will need ongoing assistance for the foreseeable future,” she said. “People just don’t understand that it’s not as easy as saying ‘shut it down’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Ongoing Debate

As decision makers struggle to find a resolution, ideas have emerged, some of which have minimal feasibility. One proposal called for the belugas to be let go into the open waters of northern regions – where whales are a important part of nourishment for local populations.

A proposed sanctuary in the province of Nova Scotia, which recently received regulatory clearance, has been highly debated. The prospective site, which includes extensive space of penned in ocean, is not yet built. Proponents remain optimistic that it could ultimately represent a permanent answer for some of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among caretakers she’s discussed with, there is “no trust there” about what she said is “only an trial” in the whales’ fate.

Some experts say the idea of a protected habitat indicates a worldwide trend away from captive facilities and could represent a viable solution in the short term.

Charles Vinick, head of the sanctuary project, said the facility will mimic the intellectual stimulation and feeding regimen the whales get from caretakers, albeit in a much larger environment. He said after the well-being of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|