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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie is an charming small “ham sandwich”. The whale Orion – called “Onion” – is a sizeable but fiercely protective friend. Zephyr has “constant motion” and sways like a worm. Lillooet the beluga is the “loving presence” with a heart of gold.

Thirty captive beluga whales in a Canadian amusement park have become pawns in a tussle between a shuttered park, government authorities and animal rights activists.

But those working directly with the whales say the impassioned controversy over their future often fails to consider the nuances of the whales who, after spending their lives in captivity, have been carefully observed by the people who interact with them daily.

After the Canadian government prevented the export of the belugas to China, the embattled facility near the famous falls where they are kept threatened to put them down unless the government funds the expense of keeping them alive. The nation’s fisheries minister has refused that ultimatum, placing the thirty whales in an increasingly precarious circumstance.

Highly Cognitive Marine Mammals

Scientists say that belugas’ neuroanatomy, along with their vocal imitation skills, cognitive challenges and social skills indicate they are deeply intelligent animals – something Kristy Burgess observed personally.

She spent a significant period as a whale caretaker, a role that entailed earning the trust of the aquatic animals.

“Developing those connections over time takes a lot of regularity 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 vulnerable with you. It’s just so extraordinary and rewarding.”

The trainer knew the whales were exceptionally cognitive, but she says she was even so astounded by the nuances and unique traits in their characters. She cultivated a deep bond for a pair of whales with different temperaments.

“Eve chose me. The other demanded work,” she said. “Both transformed the way I perceive relationships.”

Growing Opposition and Deteriorating Conditions

Her connection with the whales evolved against a context of growing public opposition to their confinement.

During her tenure at the facility, multiple belugas and the park’s one orca, Kiska, succumbed. In total, nineteen belugas have died at the park since 2019, a toll which the park attributes to expected lifespan, but which campaigners say reflects the substandard environment in which they were kept.

The park did not open to the visitors over the summer, but the former trainer says she witnessed firsthand consequences of the cessation. “Structural materials is breaking off from the enclosures because they’re falling apart and not being maintained. The whales are exploratory and so they take pieces and swim around with pieces in their jaws. It’s heartbreaking to see.”

The facility did not respond to a request for comment, but previously claimed: “The whales … receive far superior health care and around the clock attention than any human in the UK, or elsewhere.”

Uncertain Future and Proposed Solutions

The former employee was dismissed from the park in recent months following the passing of Eos, an ailing beluga the caretakers had to euthanize. She said the park thought details of the death were shared to the media and she was released shortly thereafter.

The uncertainty over the whales’ fate has left Burgess and other caretakers in despair. She says the park’s threat to end the lives of its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “logistically impossible” task, adding any attempts to put down even a one beluga would require “immense staff”, vehicles and specialized tools.

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

She supports requests for the whales to be transferred immediately from the park, with its crumbling tanks and dwindling staff.

In the autumn, Canada’s government official rejected a bid to export the whales to an overseas location.

“Allowing the request would have meant a perpetual existence in enclosure and a reversion to performance for audiences,” the minister stated. “As Canadians, we know that belugas should be in the ocean, not in enclosures for our amusement. I could not in good conscience authorize an export that would prolong the conditions these belugas have experienced.”

But Burgess said the official’s comments reveal a wider lack of awareness of the circumstances of life for belugas born in captivity.

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

Sanctuary Proposal and Ongoing Debate

As authorities attempt to find a answer, proposals have emerged, some of which have little basis in reality. A suggested plan called for the belugas to be freed into the natural habitat of Canada’s north – where whales are a important part of nourishment for Indigenous peoples.

A planned sanctuary in the region of Nova Scotia, which has received government approval, has been contentious. The future site, which includes 100 acres of protected cove, doesn’t yet exist. Supporters remain hopeful that it could ultimately represent a long term solution for a number of the whales.

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

Others say the possibility of a protected habitat represents a broader global shift away from captive facilities and could represent a workable approach in the coming months.

The project lead, head of the initiative, said the facility will replicate the intellectual stimulation and feeding regimen the whales get from specialists, albeit in a much larger space. He said after the well-being of whales is fully assessed, which could take months|an extended period|