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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie Botts is an charming small “playful character”. The whale Orion – nicknamed “Onion” – is a sizeable but guardian-like friend. Zephyr has “constant motion” and wiggles like a worm. Lillooet the beluga is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a gentle spirit.

A group of thirty captive marine mammals in a Canada-based entertainment facility have become pawns in a struggle between a defunct facility, local and national governments and animal rights activists.

But those working directly with the whales say the intense debate over their future often ignores the complexities of the whales who, after spending their lives in captivity, have been carefully observed by the people who work with them regularly.

After the national authorities blocked the sale of the belugas to a foreign facility, the embattled facility near the famous falls where they are housed stated it would consider to put them down unless the authorities funds the cost of keeping them alive. Canada’s marine resources official has denied that ultimatum, placing the thirty whales in an ever more uncertain situation.

Highly Cognitive Sea Creatures

Scientists say that beluga whales’ brain structure, along with their vocal imitation skills, cognitive challenges and group interactions indicate they are remarkably smart creatures – something Kristy Burgess observed first-hand.

She spent three years as a whale caretaker, a role that required gaining confidence of the aquatic animals.

“Building up those bonds over time takes a lot of dedication and a lot of love. At the start, they’re very unsure of you,” she said. “Over time, you gain shared confidence. And they start being more trusting with you. It’s just so magical and rewarding.”

Burgess knew the whales were highly intelligent, but she says she was even so amazed by the details and quirks in their personalities. She developed a particular love for a pair of whales with opposing natures.

“One whale chose me. The other required effort,” she said. “Both transformed the way I view relationships.”

Growing Opposition and Facility Decline

Her connection with the whales developed against a backdrop of rising activist criticism to their captivity.

During her three years at the attraction, seven belugas and the park’s single orca, the orca, passed away. In all, 19 belugas have perished at the park since 2019, a toll which the park ascribes to expected lifespan, but which campaigners say indicates the inadequate care in which they were maintained.

The park did not open to the public over the recent season, but Burgess says she witnessed firsthand consequences of the closure. “Concrete is falling apart from the pools because they’re degrading and not being fixed. The whales are inquisitive and so they grab fragments and move about with pieces in their jaws. It’s upsetting to see.”

The facility did not reply to a questionnaire, but in the past asserted: “The whales … receive far better medical attention and 24/7 care than any human in the UK, or anywhere else.”

Uncertain Future and Proposed Solutions

The former employee was dismissed from the park in the spring following the death of Eos, an sick beluga the employees had to humanely kill. She said the facility suspected particulars of the incident were shared to the press and she was fired soon after.

The ambiguity over the whales’ future has left her and staff members in despair. She says the facility’s threat to euthanize its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “logistically impossible” task, adding any plans to put down even a single beluga would require “significant personnel”, vehicles and machinery.

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

Burgess supports demands for the whales to be transferred right away from the park, with its failing enclosures and dwindling staff.

In recent months, the nation’s fisheries minister rejected a bid to transfer the whales to China.

“Granting the request would have meant a continued existence in confinement and a reversion to public entertainment,” the official wrote. “As society, we know that whales should be in the sea, not in tanks for our amusement. I could not in good conscience permit an relocation that would perpetuate the treatment these belugas have suffered.”

But Burgess said the minister’s statements indicate a broader misunderstanding of the realities of existence for belugas living their whole lives in enclosures.

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

Alternative Habitat and Continuing Discussion

As officials struggle to find a solution, ideas have been put forward, some of which have questionable practicality. A suggested plan called for the belugas to be released into the open waters of the Arctic – where whales are a primary resource of sustenance for Inuit communities.

A suggested refuge in the province of eastern Canada, which has received government approval, has shown to be highly debated. The planned location, which includes a large area of enclosed sea water, remains undeveloped. Advocates remain positive that it could eventually represent a long term resolution for a number of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among caretakers she’s consulted, there is “doubts there” about what she said is “simply an trial” in the whales’ future.

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

The project lead, director of the initiative, said the location will simulate the intellectual stimulation and diet the whales obtain from caretakers, albeit in a significantly bigger area. He said after the health of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|