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Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie Botts is an charming little “ham sandwich”. Orion – called “Onion” – is a sizeable but very loyal companion. Zephyr has “endless energy” and moves like a worm. Lillooet is the “loving presence” with a kind nature.

A group of thirty enclosed marine mammals in a Canadian amusement park have become pawns in a struggle between a defunct facility, local and national governments and animal rights activists.

But those closest to the whales say the intense discussion over their fate often fails to consider the individual traits of the whales who, after spending their lives in enclosed habitats, have been carefully observed by the caretakers who work with them regularly.

After the Canadian government prevented the export of the belugas to China, the struggling facility near the famous falls where they are kept warned to end their lives unless the federal government covers the cost of their care. Canada’s fisheries minister has rejected that ultimatum, placing the thirty whales in an ever more uncertain situation.

Intelligent Sea Creatures

Experts say that belugas’ neuroanatomy, along with their mimicry abilities, cognitive challenges and communal behavior suggest they are deeply intelligent mammals – something a former trainer learned first-hand.

She spent a significant period as a marine mammal specialist, a position that entailed earning the trust of the marine predators.

“Developing those bonds over time takes a lot of regularity and a lot of affection. At the outset, they’re very cautious of you,” she said. “In time, you gain mutual trust. And they start being more vulnerable with you. It’s just so magical and gratifying.”

The trainer knew the whales were very smart, but she says she was nonetheless surprised by the nuances and idiosyncrasies in their personalities. She developed a special affection for Eve and Cleopatra with contrasting natures.

“Eve selected me. The other made me earn it,” she said. “They altered the way I view relationships.”

Public Concerns and Deteriorating Conditions

Her interaction with the whales progressed against a context of growing public opposition to their confinement.

During her tenure at the park, seven belugas and the park’s single killer whale, the orca, passed away. In total, nineteen belugas have died at the park since 2019, a statistic which the park ascribes to age-related causes, but which campaigners say indicates the substandard environment in which they were maintained.

The facility did not open to the public over the recent season, but the former trainer says she witnessed firsthand effects of the shutdown. “Concrete is deteriorating from the tanks because they’re falling apart and not being repaired. The whales are inquisitive and so they take pieces and move about with fragments in their mouth. It’s upsetting to see.”

The facility did not reply to a inquiry, but in the past claimed: “The whales … get far better medical attention and 24/7 care than any person in the Britain, or anywhere else.”

Fate in Limbo and Proposed Solutions

The former employee was fired from the park in the spring following the demise of Eos, an sick beluga the employees had to humanely kill. She said the park suspected details of the incident were shared to the news outlets and she was fired not long after.

The lack of clarity over the whales’ fate has left Burgess and staff members in despair. She says the park’s ultimatum to euthanize its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “logistically impossible” endeavor, adding any attempts to euthanize even a single beluga would require “considerable manpower”, equipment and machinery.

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

She supports demands for the whales to be transferred right away from the park, with its deteriorating pools and dwindling staff.

In late September, the nation’s fisheries minister denied a bid to transfer the whales to China.

“Granting the application would have meant a perpetual life in enclosure and a return to public entertainment,” the official wrote. “As the public, we know that whales should be in the ocean, not in tanks for our enjoyment. I could not in clear conscience authorize an relocation that would prolong the conditions these belugas have experienced.”

But Burgess said the official’s statements reflect a more general lack of awareness of the facts of living conditions for belugas living their whole lives in enclosures.

“The public needs to realize these are whales that have lived entirely in enclosed habitats and they will need ongoing assistance for the remainder of their lives,” she said. “The public just don’t understand that it’s not as straightforward as saying ‘end operations’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Ongoing Debate

As authorities attempt to find a resolution, suggestions have emerged, some of which have little basis in reality. A suggested plan called for the belugas to be released into the open waters of Canada’s north – where whales are a important part of sustenance for Inuit communities.

A proposed refuge in the region of eastern Canada, which recently received official endorsement, has shown to be highly debated. The prospective location, which includes extensive space of protected cove, doesn’t yet exist. Proponents remain positive that it could ultimately represent a long term resolution for eight of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among caretakers she’s spoken with, there is “skepticism there” about what she said is “only an trial” in the whales’ fate.

Others say the prospect of a protected habitat reflects a changing attitudes away from animal displays and could represent a feasible plan in the coming months.

Charles Vinick, director of the sanctuary project, said the location will replicate the mental engagement and diet the whales receive from trainers, albeit in a much larger space. He said after the medical condition of whales is completely examined, which could take months|an extended period|