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Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie is an charming little “sweetheart”. The whale Orion – nicknamed “Onion Ring” – is a sizeable but guardian-like friend. Zephyr has “endless energy” and wiggles like a worm. Lillooet is the “most affectionate” with a heart of gold.

Thirty enclosed marine mammals in a Canadian entertainment facility have become pawns in a tussle between a closed attraction, local and national governments and advocacy groups.

But those most familiar with the whales say the impassioned controversy over their destiny often overlooks the complexities of the whales who, after living their entire lives in enclosed habitats, have been closely studied by the caretakers who interact with them daily.

After the national authorities blocked the sale of the belugas to a foreign facility, the controversial facility near the famous falls where they are kept stated it would consider to put them down unless the authorities funds the expense of keeping them alive. The nation’s fisheries minister has rejected that demand, placing the thirty whales in an dangerously unstable position.

Highly Cognitive Sea Creatures

Researchers say that beluga whales’ neuroanatomy, along with their mimicry abilities, problem solving and communal behavior point to they are deeply intelligent animals – something one caretaker learned first-hand.

She spent several years as a whale caretaker, a position that involved building relationships of the marine predators.

“Establishing those connections over time takes a lot of regularity and a lot of care. At the outset, they’re very wary of you,” she said. “Eventually, you gain shared confidence. 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 even so amazed by the details and quirks in their personalities. She cultivated a particular love for Eve and Cleopatra with contrasting natures.

“One whale accepted me. The other required effort,” she said. “They altered the way I view connection.”

Growing Opposition and Facility Decline

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

During her tenure at the attraction, multiple belugas and the park’s one killer whale, the orca, died. In total, nineteen belugas have died at the park since recent years, a toll which the facility links to expected lifespan, but which campaigners say points to the poor conditions in which they were kept.

The park did not operate to the guests over the summer, but the former trainer says she witnessed firsthand consequences of the closure. “Concrete is breaking off from the enclosures because they’re falling apart and not being maintained. The whales are curious and so they take pieces and move about with fragments in their jaws. It’s distressing to see.”

The park did not respond to a request for comment, but previously claimed: “The whales … obtain far superior veterinary services and constant attention than any person in the UK, or other places.”

Uncertain Future and Potential Resolutions

Burgess was terminated from the park in the spring following the demise of a beluga, an sick beluga the park staff had to humanely kill. She said the facility believed details of the death were disclosed to the news outlets and she was released soon after.

The uncertainty over the whales’ future has left her and staff members in anguish. She says the facility’s ultimatum to kill its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “practically unfeasible” task, adding any plans to euthanize even a individual beluga would require “considerable manpower”, vehicles and heavy equipment.

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

Burgess backs demands for the whales to be taken right away from the facility, with its failing enclosures and shrinking team.

In recent months, Canada’s government official denied a bid to send the whales to an overseas location.

“To approve the application would have meant a ongoing situation in captivity and a reversion to performance for audiences,” the official stated. “As society, we know that marine mammals belong in the sea, not in enclosures for our entertainment. I could not in clear conscience approve an transfer that would continue the treatment these belugas have suffered.”

But the former trainer said the official’s statements reveal a more general misunderstanding of the facts of life for belugas raised in confinement.

“The public needs to understand these are whales that have lived entirely in confinement and they will need constant supervision for the foreseeable future,” she said. “People just don’t understand that it’s not as straightforward as saying ‘shut it down’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Ongoing Debate

As authorities work to find a resolution, proposals have emerged, some of which have questionable practicality. One proposal called for the belugas to be freed into the wilds of northern regions – where whales are a key source of sustenance for Indigenous peoples.

A planned refuge in the region of Nova Scotia, which has received government approval, has proven contentious. The prospective site, which includes extensive space of penned in ocean, remains undeveloped. Advocates remain hopeful that it could in time represent a long term answer for some of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among trainers she’s discussed with, there is “doubts there” about what she said is “simply an experiment” in the whales’ well-being.

Different voices say the prospect of a refuge represents a broader global shift away from animal displays and could represent a feasible plan in the coming months.

The project lead, director of the plan, said the site will mimic the intellectual stimulation and feeding regimen the whales obtain from caretakers, albeit in a much larger environment. He said after the medical condition of whales is fully assessed, which could take months|an extended period|