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Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie is an cute little “playful character”. Orion – nicknamed “Onion Ring” – is a big but guardian-like friend. Another whale, Zephyr has “constant motion” and wiggles like a worm. Lillooet is the “loving presence” with a kind nature.

A group of thirty enclosed marine mammals in a Canadian entertainment facility have become pawns in a disagreement between a shuttered park, government authorities and advocacy groups.

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 closely studied by the caretakers who work with them regularly.

After the Canadian government prevented the transfer of the belugas to China, the embattled facility near the famous falls where they are held stated it would consider to euthanize them unless the government pays for the upkeep of their survival. Canada’s marine resources official has refused that ultimatum, placing the thirty whales in an increasingly precarious position.

Intelligent Sea Creatures

Experts say that beluga whales’ neuroanatomy, along with their vocal imitation skills, cognitive challenges and group interactions point to they are highly cognitive mammals – something one caretaker learned personally.

Burgess spent a significant period as a whale caretaker, a position that entailed earning the trust of the aquatic animals.

“Developing those bonds over time takes a lot of consistency and a lot of love. At the outset, they’re very unsure of you,” she said. “Eventually, you gain shared confidence. And they start being more vulnerable with you. It’s just so extraordinary and gratifying.”

Burgess knew the whales were highly intelligent, but she says she was nevertheless astounded by the nuances and idiosyncrasies in their dispositions. She developed a particular love for Eve and Cleopatra with opposing personalities.

“One whale selected me. The other demanded work,” she said. “Each changed the way I view connection.”

Growing Opposition and Facility Decline

Burgess’s interaction with the whales developed against a backdrop of increasing societal concern to their enclosure.

During her time at the attraction, multiple belugas and the park’s one killer whale, the orca, passed away. In all, nineteen belugas have died at the park since 2019, a statistic which the park links to natural mortality, but which advocates say points to the substandard environment in which they were housed.

The facility did not admit visitors to the guests over the summer, but Burgess says she witnessed firsthand effects of the cessation. “Concrete is breaking off from the tanks because they’re in disrepair and not being maintained. The whales are curious and so they pick it up and move about with chunks in their mouth. It’s upsetting to see.”

The facility did not reply to a questionnaire, but earlier claimed: “The whales … receive far superior veterinary services and around the clock attention than any person in the UK, or anywhere else.”

Fate in Limbo and Potential Resolutions

Burgess was dismissed from the facility in recent months following the demise of Eos, an ailing beluga the park staff had to put down. She said the facility suspected particulars of the death were shared to the press and she was fired shortly thereafter.

The lack of clarity over the whales’ fate has left Burgess and staff members in despair. She says the facility’s ultimatum to end the lives of its whales is a leverage tool and is a “practically unfeasible” endeavor, adding any efforts to euthanize even a single beluga would require “immense manpower”, vehicles and specialized tools.

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

She advocates for demands for the whales to be taken right away from the park, with its deteriorating pools and shrinking team.

In late September, the nation’s government official denied a proposal to transfer the whales to an overseas location.

“Allowing the application would have meant a ongoing life in confinement and a return to performance for audiences,” the official stated. “As the public, we know that marine mammals belong in the sea, not in pools for our entertainment. I could not in clear conscience authorize an relocation that would continue the conditions these belugas have endured.”

But Burgess said the minister’s remarks reflect a broader misunderstanding of the facts of existence for belugas raised in confinement.

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

Sanctuary Proposal and Ongoing Debate

As officials attempt to find a solution, ideas have been put forward, some of which have minimal feasibility. One proposal called for the belugas to be released into the natural habitat of Canada’s north – where whales are a primary resource of nourishment for Inuit communities.

A proposed protected area in the region of Nova Scotia, which has received government approval, has shown to be highly debated. The planned location, which includes extensive space of enclosed sea water, doesn’t yet exist. Supporters remain optimistic that it could in time represent a sustainable resolution for eight of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among trainers she’s discussed with, there is “doubts there” about what she said is “merely an trial” in the whales’ future.

Different voices say the prospect of a protected habitat reflects a broader global shift away from animal displays and could represent a feasible solution in the coming months.

Charles Vinick, leader of the sanctuary project, said the location will mimic the intellectual stimulation and diet the whales get from specialists, albeit in a more expansive area. He said after the well-being of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|