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Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie is an cute small “sweetheart”. The whale Orion – nicknamed “Onion” – is a big but very loyal friend. Zephyr has “endless energy” and wiggles like a wiggly creature. Lillooet is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a heart of gold.

A group of thirty captive marine mammals in a Canada-based amusement park have been caught in a tussle between a shuttered park, local and national governments and animal rights activists.

But those most familiar with the whales say the heated debate over their fate often ignores the individual traits of the whales who, after spending their lives in confinement, have been thoroughly researched by the humans who see them each day.

After the federal government prevented the export of the belugas to a foreign facility, the embattled facility near Niagara Falls where they are housed threatened to euthanize them unless the federal government funds the cost of keeping them alive. The nation’s marine resources official has denied that demand, placing the thirty whales in an ever more uncertain position.

Highly Cognitive Sea Creatures

Experts say that belugas’ brain structure, along with their vocal imitation skills, cognitive challenges and group interactions suggest they are highly cognitive animals – something Kristy Burgess observed directly.

Burgess spent several years as a beluga trainer, a role that involved earning the trust of the marine predators.

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

Burgess knew the whales were highly intelligent, but she says she was even so astounded by the details and unique traits in their dispositions. She formed a particular love for a pair of whales with opposing personalities.

“Eve chose me. Cleo made me earn it,” she said. “They transformed the way I view connection.”

Growing Opposition and Facility Decline

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

During her tenure at the attraction, multiple belugas and the park’s single orca, the orca, passed away. In all, 19 belugas have perished at the park since 2019, a toll which the park ascribes to age-related causes, but which advocates say reflects the inadequate care in which they were kept.

The park did not open to the guests over the recent season, but Burgess says she saw with her own eyes effects of the shutdown. “Structural materials is deteriorating from the pools because they’re falling apart and not being maintained. The whales are inquisitive and so they pick it up and swim around with fragments in their jaws. It’s upsetting to see.”

The facility did not respond to a inquiry, but previously asserted: “The whales … get far better health care and 24/7 supervision than any individual in the UK, or elsewhere.”

Fate in Limbo and Potential Resolutions

Burgess was terminated from the park in early March following the death of a beluga, an sick beluga the employees had to humanely kill. She said the facility believed particulars of the death were shared to the press and she was let go soon after.

The ambiguity over the whales’ future has left her and other caretakers in anguish. She says the park’s warning to kill its whales is a bargaining chip and is a “logistically impossible” undertaking, adding any plans to euthanize even a individual beluga would require “considerable manpower”, equipment and machinery.

“There’s no way in hell the staff would ever do it,” she said.

She advocates for calls for the whales to be taken promptly from the park, with its crumbling tanks and reduced personnel.

In recent months, the nation’s fisheries minister turned down a proposal to export the whales to an overseas location.

“Allowing the proposal would have meant a perpetual existence in captivity and a return to display for amusement,” the official wrote. “As Canadians, we know that belugas should be in the ocean, not in pools for our entertainment. I could not in ethical standing authorize an transfer that would continue the conditions these belugas have endured.”

But the former trainer said the official’s remarks reflect a broader incorrect perception of the realities of life for belugas living their whole lives in enclosures.

“The public needs to understand these are whales that have existed solely in enclosed habitats and they will need human care for the rest of their years,” she said. “The public 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, proposals have been put forward, some of which have little basis in reality. A suggested plan called for the belugas to be let go into the open waters of northern regions – where whales are a primary resource of nourishment for Indigenous peoples.

A planned sanctuary in the province of eastern Canada, which has received regulatory clearance, has proven most controversial. The prospective site, which includes extensive space of enclosed sea water, is not yet built. Supporters remain hopeful that it could in time represent a sustainable answer for eight of the whales.

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

Some experts say the idea of a sanctuary reflects a worldwide trend away from zoos and aquariums and could represent a workable approach in the coming months.

Charles Vinick, director of the sanctuary project, said the site will simulate the mental engagement and feeding regimen the whales get from caretakers, albeit in a significantly bigger space. He said after the medical condition of whales is fully assessed, which could take months|an extended period|