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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie Botts is an adorable little “sweetheart”. The whale Orion – nicknamed “Onion Ring” – is a large but fiercely protective companion. Zephyr has “endless energy” and sways like a wiggly creature. Lillooet is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a heart of gold.

A group of thirty captive marine mammals in a Canadian amusement park have become pawns in a tussle between a defunct facility, government authorities and animal rights activists.

But those most familiar with the whales say the impassioned debate over their destiny often overlooks the individual traits of the whales who, after spending their lives in captivity, have been thoroughly researched by the humans who work with them regularly.

After the national authorities blocked the sale of the belugas to China, the embattled amusement park near the famous falls where they are held stated it would consider to euthanize them unless the authorities pays for the expense of their care. The nation’s fisheries minister has denied that demand, placing the 30 whales in an ever more uncertain position.

Highly Cognitive Sea Creatures

Experts say that beluga whales’ neuroanatomy, along with their vocal imitation skills, problem solving and social skills suggest they are remarkably smart creatures – something Kristy Burgess discovered personally.

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

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

The trainer knew the whales were highly intelligent, but she says she was nevertheless surprised by the subtleties and quirks in their characters. She developed a special affection for Eve and Cleopatra with different natures.

“Eve selected me. Cleo made me earn it,” she said. “They changed the way I view bonding.”

Growing Opposition and Facility Decline

Burgess’s interaction with the whales evolved 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, died. In total, nineteen belugas have died at the park since 2019, a toll which the facility attributes to expected lifespan, but which campaigners say indicates the poor conditions in which they were maintained.

The park did not operate to the visitors over the recent season, but the former trainer says she saw with her own eyes results of the cessation. “Structural materials is breaking off from the pools because they’re falling apart and not being fixed. The whales are inquisitive and so they take pieces and move about with pieces in their mouth. It’s distressing to see.”

The park did not reply to a questionnaire, but previously claimed: “The whales … get far higher quality medical attention and around the clock care than any individual in the United Kingdom, or other places.”

Fate in Limbo and Potential Resolutions

Burgess was fired from the park in the spring following the passing of Eos, an sick beluga the park staff had to euthanize. She said the park suspected particulars of the death were shared to the press and she was fired not long after.

The ambiguity over the whales’ fate 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 “extremely difficult” undertaking, adding any plans to euthanize even a single beluga would require “immense personnel”, equipment and specialized tools.

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

Burgess supports demands for the whales to be taken immediately from the park, with its deteriorating pools and reduced personnel.

In late September, Canada’s fisheries minister turned down a request to send the whales to China.

“Granting the proposal would have meant a ongoing situation in confinement and a return to public entertainment,” the minister commented. “As the public, we know that belugas are meant for the sea, not in tanks for our amusement. I could not in good conscience approve an relocation that would prolong the treatment these belugas have suffered.”

But the former trainer said the official’s statements indicate a more general misunderstanding 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 captivity and they will need human care for the foreseeable future,” she said. “Many just don’t comprehend that it’s not as straightforward as saying ‘shut it down’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Continuing Discussion

As officials struggle to find a answer, ideas have surfaced, some of which have questionable practicality. A suggested plan called for the belugas to be released into the wilds of the Arctic – where whales are a key source of nourishment for local populations.

A planned protected area in the province of eastern Canada, which recently received government approval, has proven contentious. The prospective site, which includes 100 acres of enclosed sea water, is not yet built. Proponents remain optimistic that it could eventually represent a permanent resolution for a number of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among staff she’s consulted, there is “doubts there” about what she said is “only an trial” in the whales’ future.

Different voices say the prospect of a protected habitat represents a changing attitudes away from captive facilities and could represent a viable approach in the near future.

The project lead, director of the sanctuary project, said the facility will mimic the intellectual stimulation and diet the whales get from caretakers, albeit in a more expansive area. He said after the health of whales is completely examined, which could take months|an extended period|