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Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie Botts is an charming little “ham sandwich”. Orion – called “Onion” – is a sizeable but fiercely protective companion. Another whale, Zephyr has “endless energy” and wiggles like a wiggly creature. Lillooet is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a gentle spirit.

Thirty captive marine mammals in a Canadian entertainment facility have been caught in a disagreement between a defunct facility, government authorities and welfare campaigners.

But those closest to the whales say the impassioned controversy over their destiny often overlooks the nuances of the whales who, after living their entire lives in captivity, have been carefully observed by the caretakers who interact with them daily.

After the federal government disallowed the export of the belugas to a foreign facility, the embattled amusement park near the famous falls where they are held threatened to end their lives unless the government funds the upkeep of their survival. The nation’s marine resources official has rejected that demand, placing the thirty whales in an ever more uncertain position.

Highly Cognitive Marine Mammals

Experts say that belugas’ neural makeup, along with their sound replication, cognitive challenges and communal behavior point to they are deeply intelligent creatures – something a former trainer observed personally.

She spent a significant period as a beluga trainer, a position that involved gaining confidence of the sea creatures.

“Establishing those connections over time takes a lot of consistency and a lot of care. At the start, they’re very cautious of you,” she said. “Over time, you gain shared confidence. And they start being more vulnerable with you. It’s just so magical and rewarding.”

Burgess knew the whales were very smart, but she says she was nonetheless astounded by the details and idiosyncrasies in their dispositions. She formed a particular love for two female belugas with different personalities.

“Eve chose me. Cleo required effort,” she said. “They altered the way I view relationships.”

Growing Opposition and Facility Decline

Her relationship with the whales developed against a context of rising activist criticism to their captivity.

During her tenure at the park, seven belugas and the park’s one orca, the orca, passed away. In total, 19 belugas have perished at the park since recent years, a toll which the park links to natural mortality, but which advocates say reflects the substandard environment in which they were housed.

The facility did not open to the public over the recent season, but Burgess says she observed directly effects of the shutdown. “Structural materials is falling apart from the tanks because they’re degrading and not being maintained. The whales are exploratory and so they take pieces and swim around with fragments in their jaws. It’s upsetting to see.”

The park did not reply to a request for comment, but earlier asserted: “The whales … obtain far higher quality veterinary services and around the clock care than any person in the United Kingdom, or other places.”

Uncertain Future and Potential Resolutions

The former employee was terminated from the park in early March following the passing of Eos, an sick beluga the caretakers had to put down. She said the park suspected information of the death were disclosed to the press and she was released not long after.

The lack of clarity over the whales’ outcome has left Burgess and current and former trainers in distress. She says the park’s ultimatum to kill its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “practically unfeasible” task, adding any plans to euthanize even a one beluga would require “significant manpower”, trucks and machinery.

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

She backs requests for the whales to be removed immediately from the facility, with its crumbling tanks and dwindling staff.

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

“To approve the proposal would have meant a continued existence in confinement and a return to performance for audiences,” the official stated. “As the public, we know that belugas are meant for the sea, not in tanks for our amusement. I could not in good conscience approve an relocation that would prolong the treatment these belugas have suffered.”

But Burgess said the official’s remarks reveal a wider lack of awareness of the circumstances of life for belugas raised in confinement.

“The society needs to understand these are whales that have existed solely in enclosed habitats and they will need ongoing assistance for the foreseeable future,” she said. “People just don’t realize that it’s not as simple as saying ‘shut it down’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Continuing Discussion

As authorities work to find a solution, proposals have been put forward, some of which have minimal feasibility. A suggested plan called for the belugas to be released into the natural habitat of northern regions – where whales are a important part of nourishment for local populations.

A proposed sanctuary in the province of Nova Scotia, which recently received official endorsement, has been contentious. The prospective facility, which includes 100 acres of protected cove, is not yet built. Proponents remain hopeful that it could ultimately represent a long term resolution for a number of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among staff she’s spoken with, there is “no trust there” about what she said is “simply an untested concept” in the whales’ future.

Some experts say the prospect of a sanctuary represents a broader global shift away from zoos and aquariums and could represent a feasible approach in the short term.

The project lead, director of the sanctuary project, said the location will mimic the cognitive activities and feeding regimen the whales get from caretakers, albeit in a significantly bigger area. He said after the medical condition of whales is fully assessed, which could take months|an extended period|