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Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie is an charming small “sweetheart”. The whale Orion – called “Onion” – is a large but very loyal companion. Another whale, Zephyr has “endless energy” and moves like a worm. Lillooet the beluga is the “most affectionate” with a kind nature.

Thirty captive marine mammals in a Canada-based entertainment facility have been entangled in a tussle between a defunct facility, government authorities and welfare campaigners.

But those working directly with the whales say the heated controversy over their fate often ignores the nuances of the whales who, after spending their lives in confinement, have been thoroughly researched by the people who see them each day.

After the federal government prevented the transfer of the belugas to China, the embattled attraction near the famous falls where they are housed threatened to put them down unless the authorities funds the upkeep of their care. Canada’s marine resources official has rejected that request, placing the thirty whales in an increasingly precarious position.

Highly Cognitive Marine Mammals

Researchers say that beluga whales’ neural makeup, along with their sound replication, intellectual tasks and communal behavior point to they are highly cognitive mammals – something Kristy Burgess discovered first-hand.

Burgess spent three years as a whale caretaker, a job that involved gaining confidence of the marine predators.

“Building up those relationships over time takes a lot of dedication and a lot of affection. At the start, they’re very wary of you,” she said. “Over time, you gain shared confidence. And they start being more trusting with you. It’s just so wonderful and rewarding.”

The trainer knew the whales were exceptionally cognitive, but she says she was nonetheless amazed by the nuances and quirks in their dispositions. She cultivated a particular love for two female belugas with contrasting personalities.

“One whale chose me. Cleo required effort,” she said. “Both transformed the way I view bonding.”

Growing Opposition and Deteriorating Conditions

Burgess’s interaction with the whales developed against a background of increasing societal concern to their enclosure.

During her three years at the facility, multiple belugas and the park’s one killer whale, Kiska, passed away. In total, nineteen belugas have perished at the park since 2019, a statistic which the park attributes to natural mortality, but which advocates say indicates the substandard environment in which they were kept.

The park did not admit visitors to the visitors over the recent season, but Burgess says she observed directly consequences of the shutdown. “Structural materials is breaking off from the enclosures because they’re falling apart and not being fixed. The whales are inquisitive and so they grab fragments and navigate with pieces in their mouth. It’s upsetting to see.”

The facility did not respond to a questionnaire, but previously stated: “The whales … get far higher quality veterinary services and constant supervision than any person in the Britain, or other places.”

Uncertain Future and Proposed Solutions

Burgess was terminated from the facility in the spring following the demise of a beluga, an ailing beluga the park staff had to put down. She said the park believed information of the death were shared to the press and she was fired not long after.

The ambiguity over the whales’ future has left Burgess and staff members in anguish. She says the park’s ultimatum to end the lives of its whales is a bargaining chip and is a “logistically impossible” endeavor, adding any plans to put down even a one beluga would require “significant personnel”, vehicles and specialized tools.

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

She backs calls for the whales to be transferred right away from the park, with its failing enclosures and dwindling staff.

In recent months, Canada’s government official rejected a proposal to export the whales to an overseas location.

“To approve the proposal would have meant a continued life in enclosure and a reversion to display for amusement,” the official commented. “As Canadians, we know that belugas should be in the wild, not in tanks for our amusement. I could not in good conscience authorize an export that would perpetuate the situation these belugas have suffered.”

But the former trainer said the minister’s comments reflect a wider lack of awareness of the realities of living conditions for belugas born in captivity.

“The people needs to realize these are whales that have lived entirely in enclosed habitats and they will need ongoing assistance for the remainder of their lives,” she said. “Many just don’t realize that it’s not as straightforward as saying ‘close it down’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Ongoing Debate

As authorities attempt to find a resolution, ideas have been put forward, some of which have questionable practicality. One proposal called for the belugas to be released into the natural habitat of northern regions – where whales are a important part of food for Inuit communities.

A suggested sanctuary in the region of Nova Scotia, which has received government approval, has been contentious. The future facility, which includes a large area of penned in ocean, remains undeveloped. Advocates remain positive that it could ultimately represent a sustainable solution for a number of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among trainers she’s consulted, there is “no trust there” about what she said is “only an untested concept” in the whales’ well-being.

Some experts say the prospect of a sanctuary indicates a worldwide trend away from animal displays and could represent a workable solution in the coming months.

Charles Vinick, head of the plan, said the facility will simulate the intellectual stimulation and nutrition the whales get from trainers, albeit in a significantly bigger area. He said after the medical condition of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|