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Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie is an charming little “playful character”. Orion – called “Onion” – is a large but guardian-like friend. Another whale, Zephyr has “ants in his pants” and wiggles like a wiggly creature. Lillooet is the “loving presence” with a gentle spirit.

Thirty enclosed marine mammals in a Canada-based entertainment facility have become pawns in a disagreement between a closed attraction, government authorities and welfare campaigners.

But those most familiar with the whales say the intense debate over their future often fails to consider the individual traits of the whales who, after spending their lives in confinement, have been thoroughly researched by the humans who interact with them daily.

After the national authorities prevented the transfer of the belugas to China, the controversial attraction near the famous falls where they are kept warned to put them down unless the authorities pays for the expense of keeping them alive. The nation’s marine resources official has rejected that demand, placing the 30 whales in an ever more uncertain position.

Highly Cognitive Marine Mammals

Scientists say that beluga whales’ brain structure, along with their mimicry abilities, intellectual tasks and communal behavior point to they are remarkably smart mammals – something Kristy Burgess discovered personally.

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

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

The trainer knew the whales were highly intelligent, but she says she was nonetheless astounded by the subtleties and idiosyncrasies in their characters. She cultivated a special affection for a pair of whales with contrasting natures.

“Eve selected me. The other required effort,” she said. “Each changed the way I understand connection.”

Growing Opposition and Deteriorating Conditions

Burgess’s relationship with the whales progressed against a background of rising activist criticism to their confinement.

During her three years at the attraction, multiple belugas and the park’s one orca, the orca, passed away. In all, nineteen belugas have died at the park since 2019, a toll which the facility attributes to natural mortality, but which advocates say points to the substandard environment in which they were housed.

The park did not open to the visitors over the recent season, but Burgess says she observed directly consequences of the cessation. “Concrete is falling apart from the tanks because they’re in disrepair and not being fixed. The whales are curious and so they take pieces and swim around with fragments in their jaws. It’s distressing to see.”

The facility did not reply to a inquiry, but previously stated: “The whales … get far better medical attention and around the clock care than any person in the UK, or other places.”

Fate in Limbo and Potential Resolutions

The former employee was terminated from the park in recent months following the passing of Eos, an ailing beluga the employees had to put down. She said the facility suspected information of the death were disclosed to the media and she was let go soon after.

The ambiguity over the whales’ outcome has left her and staff members in anguish. She says the park’s ultimatum to euthanize its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “practically unfeasible” endeavor, adding any efforts to euthanize even a single beluga would require “considerable personnel”, trucks and heavy equipment.

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

She advocates for demands for the whales to be taken immediately from the facility, with its crumbling tanks and reduced personnel.

In the autumn, Canada’s government official denied a proposal to transfer the whales to China.

“Granting the proposal would have meant a ongoing existence in captivity and a return to performance for audiences,” the minister wrote. “As Canadians, we know that whales should be in the ocean, not in tanks for our amusement. I could not in ethical standing permit an export that would prolong the conditions these belugas have suffered.”

But Burgess said the minister’s remarks indicate a more general incorrect perception of the realities of life for belugas raised in confinement.

“The public needs to grasp these are whales that have lived entirely in confinement and they will need constant supervision for the remainder of their lives,” she said. “The public just don’t comprehend that it’s not as straightforward as saying ‘end operations’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Continuing Discussion

As officials struggle to find a solution, ideas have surfaced, some of which have questionable practicality. One proposal called for the belugas to be let go into the open waters of Canada’s north – where whales are a important part of sustenance for Indigenous peoples.

A proposed sanctuary in the province of eastern Canada, which has received government approval, has shown to be most controversial. The future site, which includes extensive space of enclosed sea water, is not yet built. Advocates remain positive that it could ultimately represent a permanent answer for eight of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among caretakers she’s consulted, there is “doubts there” about what she said is “merely an experiment” in the whales’ future.

Some experts say the prospect of a refuge indicates a changing attitudes away from zoos and aquariums and could represent a workable solution in the short term.

Charles Vinick, head of the plan, said the location will mimic the mental engagement and diet the whales receive from trainers, albeit in a more expansive area. He said after the health of whales is completely examined, which could take months|an extended period|