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Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie is an adorable little “sweetheart”. The whale Orion – called “Onion Ring” – is a sizeable but very loyal friend. Zephyr has “ants in his pants” and wiggles like a wiggly creature. Lillooet the beluga is the “most affectionate” with a heart of gold.

A group of thirty enclosed marine mammals in a Canadian amusement park have been caught in a struggle between a closed attraction, government authorities and advocacy groups.

But those working directly with the whales say the intense debate over their future often fails to consider the complexities of the whales who, after growing up in confinement, have been thoroughly researched by the humans who see them each day.

After the Canadian government prevented the export of the belugas to a foreign facility, the embattled amusement park near Niagara Falls where they are housed threatened to put them down unless the authorities covers the expense of their care. The nation’s marine resources official has rejected that request, placing the 30 whales in an dangerously unstable circumstance.

Highly Cognitive Sea Creatures

Researchers say that beluga whales’ neural makeup, along with their sound replication, problem solving and group interactions suggest they are highly cognitive mammals – something a former trainer observed directly.

Burgess spent a significant period as a whale caretaker, a role that involved gaining confidence of the aquatic animals.

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

Burgess knew the whales were exceptionally cognitive, but she says she was nonetheless amazed by the details and unique traits in their dispositions. She developed a deep bond for a pair of whales with contrasting personalities.

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

Growing Opposition and Facility Decline

Her interaction with the whales progressed against a backdrop of rising activist criticism to their captivity.

During her three years at the facility, seven belugas and the park’s one orca, Kiska, died. In all, 19 belugas have died at the park since 2019, a statistic which the facility attributes to age-related causes, but which campaigners say reflects the inadequate care in which they were kept.

The park did not open to the guests over the recent season, but the former trainer says she saw with her own eyes consequences of the closure. “Concrete is breaking off from the tanks because they’re degrading and not being repaired. The whales are curious and so they take pieces and move about with chunks in their jaws. It’s upsetting to see.”

The facility did not comment to a questionnaire, but earlier asserted: “The whales … receive far higher quality health care and 24/7 care than any human in the United Kingdom, or anywhere else.”

Uncertain Future and Potential Resolutions

The former employee was fired from the facility in the spring following the demise of a beluga, an ailing beluga the caretakers had to euthanize. She said the facility thought particulars of the death were leaked to the press and she was released soon after.

The ambiguity over the whales’ outcome has left Burgess and current and former trainers in anguish. She says the facility’s threat to kill its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “extremely difficult” undertaking, adding any attempts to euthanize even a one beluga would require “considerable staff”, equipment and heavy equipment.

“It cannot happen in hell the staff would ever do it,” she said.

Burgess advocates for calls for the whales to be transferred promptly from the facility, with its failing enclosures and shrinking team.

In late September, Canada’s government official turned down a request to transfer the whales to an overseas location.

“Granting the proposal would have meant a continued situation in confinement and a return to public entertainment,” the minister stated. “As Canadians, we know that marine mammals belong in the wild, not in pools for our amusement. I could not in clear conscience approve an transfer that would prolong the situation these belugas have experienced.”

But the former trainer said the minister’s statements reflect a broader misunderstanding of the realities of existence for belugas raised in confinement.

“The public needs to understand 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 Ongoing Debate

As authorities struggle to find a resolution, proposals have been put forward, some of which have questionable practicality. A suggested plan called for the belugas to be released into the natural habitat of the Arctic – where whales are a primary resource of nourishment for Inuit communities.

A planned sanctuary in the province of eastern Canada, which recently received regulatory clearance, has shown to be most controversial. The future facility, which includes a large area of enclosed sea water, remains undeveloped. Supporters remain optimistic that it could ultimately represent a permanent answer for some of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among trainers she’s consulted, there is “skepticism there” about what she said is “merely an untested concept” in the whales’ well-being.

Some experts say the idea of a protected habitat reflects a worldwide trend away from zoos and aquariums and could represent a viable solution in the near future.

Charles Vinick, head of the initiative, said the location will replicate the mental engagement and diet the whales get from specialists, albeit in a much larger area. He said after the well-being of whales is completely examined, which could take months|an extended period|