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Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie is an charming small “ham sandwich”. The whale Orion – called “Onion” – is a large but guardian-like companion. Another whale, Zephyr has “constant motion” and moves like a wiggly creature. Lillooet the beluga is the “loving presence” with a kind nature.

Thirty enclosed beluga whales in a Canada-based entertainment facility have been caught in a struggle between a defunct facility, government authorities and welfare campaigners.

But those working directly with the whales say the intense discussion over their destiny often ignores the individual traits of the whales who, after growing up in enclosed habitats, have been carefully observed by the caretakers who interact with them daily.

After the national authorities blocked the export of the belugas to a foreign facility, the controversial facility near the famous falls where they are kept warned to put them down unless the government pays for the expense of keeping them alive. The nation’s fisheries minister has rejected that request, placing the 30 whales in an ever more uncertain position.

Intelligent Marine Mammals

Scientists say that belugas’ brain structure, along with their mimicry abilities, intellectual tasks and communal behavior indicate they are deeply intelligent mammals – something one caretaker observed first-hand.

She spent a significant period as a beluga trainer, a position that entailed building relationships of the sea creatures.

“Building up those bonds over time takes a lot of dedication and a lot of care. At the beginning, they’re very wary of you,” she said. “In time, you gain mutual trust. And they start being more vulnerable with you. It’s just so wonderful and rewarding.”

Burgess knew the whales were very smart, but she says she was nevertheless astounded by the nuances and quirks in their characters. She cultivated a special affection for Eve and Cleopatra with opposing temperaments.

“Eve accepted me. Cleo made me earn it,” she said. “Both changed the way I view bonding.”

Public Concerns and Facility Decline

Burgess’s relationship with the whales developed against a context of growing public opposition to their confinement.

During her three years at the park, seven belugas and the park’s one killer whale, the orca, passed away. In total, 19 belugas have died at the park since 2019, a toll which the park attributes to age-related causes, but which activists say indicates the substandard environment in which they were maintained.

The park did not operate to the guests over the summer, but the former trainer says she witnessed firsthand results of the shutdown. “Structural materials is deteriorating from the enclosures because they’re in disrepair and not being fixed. The whales are exploratory and so they take pieces and navigate with pieces in their mouth. It’s heartbreaking to see.”

The facility did not comment to a inquiry, but earlier asserted: “The whales … obtain far higher quality medical attention and 24/7 care than any individual in the United Kingdom, or other places.”

Uncertain Future and Proposed Solutions

The former employee was fired from the facility in recent months following the death of Eos, an sick beluga the caretakers had to euthanize. She said the park thought particulars of the incident were disclosed to the press and she was let go soon after.

The lack of clarity over the whales’ future has left her and other caretakers in distress. She says the park’s ultimatum to euthanize its whales is a bargaining chip and is a “logistically impossible” endeavor, adding any plans to put down even a single beluga would require “significant personnel”, vehicles and specialized tools.

“It’s impossible in hell the employees would ever do it,” she said.

She backs calls for the whales to be transferred right away from the park, with its crumbling tanks and shrinking team.

In recent months, the nation’s government official rejected a proposal to send the whales to an overseas location.

“Allowing the application would have meant a perpetual situation in enclosure and a reversion to public entertainment,” the minister commented. “As Canadians, we know that marine mammals should be in the ocean, not in enclosures for our amusement. I could not in ethical standing approve an export that would prolong the conditions these belugas have endured.”

But Burgess said the minister’s statements reflect a more general incorrect perception of the realities of life for belugas living their whole lives in enclosures.

“The people needs to realize these are whales that have spent their whole lives in enclosed habitats and they will need constant supervision for the foreseeable future,” she said. “The public just don’t understand that it’s not as simple as saying ‘end operations’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Ongoing Debate

As decision makers work to find a resolution, proposals have been put forward, some of which have minimal feasibility. An idea called for the belugas to be let go into the wilds of Canada’s north – where whales are a primary resource of food for Inuit communities.

A planned sanctuary in the region of eastern Canada, which recently received regulatory clearance, has been highly debated. The future site, which includes extensive space of enclosed sea water, doesn’t yet exist. Advocates remain positive that it could in time represent a permanent solution for some of the whales.

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

Some experts say the possibility of a sanctuary represents a broader global shift away from animal displays and could represent a viable solution in the coming months.

An official, director of the plan, said the location will simulate the cognitive activities and feeding regimen the whales obtain from trainers, albeit in a significantly bigger space. He said after the medical condition of whales is fully assessed, which could take months|an extended period|