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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie is an adorable small “ham sandwich”. The whale Orion – called “Onion Ring” – is a sizeable but fiercely protective friend. Another whale, Zephyr has “endless energy” and moves like a wiggly creature. Lillooet is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a gentle spirit.

A group of thirty enclosed marine mammals in a Canada-based entertainment facility have been entangled in a tussle between a closed attraction, government authorities and advocacy groups.

But those working directly with the whales say the heated debate over their future often ignores the nuances of the whales who, after living their entire lives in confinement, have been carefully observed by the humans who work with them regularly.

After the Canadian government blocked the sale of the belugas to a foreign facility, the struggling attraction near the famous falls where they are held warned to put them down unless the federal government covers the upkeep of their care. Canada’s marine resources official has refused that demand, placing the thirty whales in an dangerously unstable situation.

Highly Cognitive Sea Creatures

Researchers say that belugas’ neuroanatomy, along with their vocal imitation skills, problem solving and group interactions suggest they are deeply intelligent mammals – something one caretaker discovered personally.

She spent several years as a marine mammal specialist, a position that involved earning the trust of the sea creatures.

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

Burgess knew the whales were exceptionally cognitive, but she says she was nonetheless astounded by the details and quirks in their dispositions. She developed a special affection for Eve and Cleopatra with contrasting temperaments.

“Eve accepted me. The other required effort,” she said. “Both altered the way I view connection.”

Growing Opposition and Facility Decline

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

During her three years at the park, seven belugas and the park’s single killer whale, the orca, died. In total, 19 belugas have died at the park since 2019, a number which the facility ascribes to age-related causes, but which advocates say reflects the substandard environment in which they were kept.

The park did not admit visitors to the visitors over the summer, but Burgess says she witnessed firsthand results of the shutdown. “Structural materials is falling apart from the tanks because they’re in disrepair and not being fixed. The whales are inquisitive and so they pick it up and move about with chunks in their jaws. It’s heartbreaking to see.”

The facility did not comment to a request for comment, but in the past asserted: “The whales … obtain far higher quality health care and constant attention than any individual in the UK, or elsewhere.”

Uncertain Future and Potential Resolutions

The former employee was terminated from the park in the spring following the passing of Eos, an unwell beluga the employees had to euthanize. She said the facility believed information of the death were shared to the press and she was released shortly thereafter.

The lack of clarity over the whales’ future has left her and staff members in anguish. She says the facility’s warning to euthanize its whales is a leverage tool and is a “extremely difficult” task, adding any efforts to humanely kill even a individual beluga would require “immense personnel”, trucks and heavy equipment.

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

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

In recent months, Canada’s government official rejected a proposal to send the whales to China.

“To approve the proposal would have meant a continued situation in confinement and a return to performance for audiences,” the minister wrote. “As Canadians, we know that whales are meant for the sea, not in pools for our enjoyment. I could not in ethical standing approve an export that would prolong the conditions these belugas have endured.”

But the former trainer said the minister’s remarks reflect a broader lack of awareness of the circumstances of life for belugas born in captivity.

“The public needs to understand these are whales that have existed solely in captivity and they will need constant supervision for the foreseeable future,” she said. “The public just don’t comprehend that it’s not as easy as saying ‘end operations’.”

Alternative Habitat and Continuing Discussion

As authorities struggle to find a resolution, ideas have emerged, some of which have minimal feasibility. A suggested plan called for the belugas to be released into the open waters of Canada’s north – where whales are a key source of sustenance for Indigenous peoples.

A suggested sanctuary in the province of eastern Canada, which recently received government approval, has proven contentious. The planned site, which includes a large area of enclosed sea water, is not yet built. Advocates remain optimistic that it could in time represent a sustainable answer for eight of the whales.

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

Different voices say the possibility of a refuge indicates a changing attitudes away from animal displays and could represent a viable approach in the short term.

The project lead, leader of the sanctuary project, said the location will simulate the cognitive activities and diet the whales get from caretakers, albeit in a more expansive area. He said after the medical condition of whales is completely examined, which could take months|an extended period|