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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie Botts is an charming small “playful character”. The whale Orion – nicknamed “Onion Ring” – is a sizeable but fiercely protective friend. Zephyr has “endless energy” and moves like a worm. Lillooet is the “loving presence” with a kind nature.

A group of thirty enclosed marine mammals in a Canada-based amusement park have been entangled in a tussle between a defunct facility, public officials and welfare campaigners.

But those working directly with the whales say the intense discussion over their destiny often ignores the complexities of the whales who, after growing up in enclosed habitats, have been closely studied by the humans who work with them regularly.

After the Canadian government disallowed the export of the belugas to China, the struggling amusement park near the famous falls where they are kept stated it would consider to euthanize them unless the authorities pays for the expense of their survival. Canada’s marine resources official has denied that demand, placing the thirty whales in an dangerously unstable circumstance.

Highly Cognitive Marine Mammals

Scientists say that belugas’ brain structure, along with their sound replication, cognitive challenges and social skills point to they are deeply intelligent creatures – something one caretaker learned first-hand.

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

“Establishing those bonds over time takes a lot of consistency and a lot of love. At the outset, they’re very unsure of you,” she said. “Over time, you gain reciprocal understanding. And they start being more open with you. It’s just so magical and rewarding.”

Burgess knew the whales were very smart, but she says she was nonetheless astounded by the details and unique traits in their characters. She cultivated a special affection for Eve and Cleopatra with opposing natures.

“Eve selected me. Cleo demanded work,” she said. “They altered the way I perceive connection.”

Growing Opposition and Deteriorating Conditions

Her interaction with the whales developed against a backdrop of increasing societal concern to their confinement.

During her tenure at the park, seven belugas and the park’s one killer whale, Kiska, passed away. In total, nineteen belugas have died at the park since 2019, a number which the park links to expected lifespan, but which campaigners say indicates the substandard environment in which they were housed.

The facility did not open to the public over the summer, but Burgess says she witnessed firsthand results of the cessation. “Concrete is falling apart from the enclosures because they’re in disrepair and not being repaired. The whales are exploratory and so they grab fragments and navigate with chunks in their jaws. It’s upsetting to see.”

The facility did not reply to a request for comment, but previously claimed: “The whales … receive far better veterinary services and 24/7 care than any individual in the United Kingdom, or elsewhere.”

Uncertain Future and Potential Resolutions

The former employee was terminated from the facility in recent months following the passing of a beluga, an ailing beluga the employees had to humanely kill. She said the facility believed details of the incident were disclosed to the media and she was fired shortly thereafter.

The uncertainty over the whales’ future has left Burgess and other caretakers in distress. She says the facility’s warning to end the lives of its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “extremely difficult” endeavor, adding any efforts to euthanize even a one beluga would require “significant staff”, equipment and heavy equipment.

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

Burgess supports requests for the whales to be removed right away from the facility, with its failing enclosures and reduced personnel.

In late September, the nation’s government official rejected a request to send the whales to China.

“Allowing the request would have meant a continued situation in confinement and a reversion to performance for audiences,” the minister commented. “As Canadians, we know that belugas are meant for the wild, not in pools for our entertainment. I could not in good conscience permit an relocation that would perpetuate the conditions these belugas have experienced.”

But Burgess said the minister’s comments reflect a wider misunderstanding of the circumstances of life for belugas born in captivity.

“The public needs to realize these are whales that have lived entirely in captivity and they will need constant supervision for the remainder of their lives,” she said. “People just don’t comprehend that it’s not as simple as saying ‘close it down’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Ongoing Debate

As authorities work to find a resolution, proposals have surfaced, some of which have little basis in reality. An idea called for the belugas to be released into the wilds of northern regions – where whales are a important part of nourishment for Inuit communities.

A proposed refuge in the region of Nova Scotia, which recently received government approval, has shown to be highly debated. The prospective site, which includes extensive space of protected cove, is not yet built. Supporters remain hopeful that it could eventually represent a sustainable solution for some of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among caretakers she’s spoken with, there is “doubts there” about what she said is “only an experiment” in the whales’ well-being.

Others say the possibility of a sanctuary represents a changing attitudes away from captive facilities and could represent a workable approach in the coming months.

Charles Vinick, director of the initiative, said the facility will simulate the cognitive activities and nutrition the whales obtain from specialists, albeit in a significantly bigger area. He said after the well-being of whales is fully assessed, which could take months|an extended period|