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Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie Botts is an adorable small “ham sandwich”. The whale Orion – nicknamed “Onion Ring” – is a large but guardian-like friend. Another whale, Zephyr has “ants in his pants” and moves like a worm. Lillooet is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a gentle spirit.

Thirty enclosed beluga whales in a Canada-based amusement park have been caught in a tussle between a defunct facility, local and national governments and advocacy groups.

But those most familiar with the whales say the intense debate over their destiny often ignores the individual traits of the whales who, after living their entire lives in captivity, have been closely studied by the humans who interact with them daily.

After the Canadian government prevented the sale of the belugas to China, the struggling amusement park near the famous falls where they are kept warned to euthanize them unless the government funds the upkeep of keeping them alive. Canada’s fisheries minister has rejected that request, placing the 30 whales in an increasingly precarious situation.

Intelligent Sea Creatures

Scientists say that belugas’ neuroanatomy, along with their vocal imitation skills, intellectual tasks and social skills point to they are highly cognitive creatures – something Kristy Burgess learned first-hand.

Burgess spent three years as a whale caretaker, a role that entailed earning the trust of the sea creatures.

“Developing those relationships over time takes a lot of consistency and a lot of affection. At the start, they’re very cautious of you,” she said. “Eventually, you gain mutual trust. And they start being more vulnerable with you. It’s just so wonderful and rewarding.”

The trainer knew the whales were very smart, but she says she was nevertheless amazed by the subtleties and quirks in their dispositions. She formed a special affection for a pair of whales with contrasting temperaments.

“Eve chose me. The other demanded work,” she said. “Both altered the way I view bonding.”

Public Concerns and Facility Decline

Her interaction with the whales evolved against a context of rising activist criticism to their confinement.

During her three years at the park, multiple belugas and the park’s single orca, the orca, passed away. In all, 19 belugas have perished at the park since 2019, a number which the park links to age-related causes, but which advocates say indicates the poor conditions in which they were kept.

The facility did not operate to the visitors over the summer, but the former trainer says she saw with her own eyes consequences of the closure. “Concrete is deteriorating from the pools because they’re falling apart and not being fixed. The whales are curious and so they take pieces and navigate with pieces in their mouth. It’s distressing to see.”

The facility did not reply to a inquiry, but earlier claimed: “The whales … obtain far superior medical attention and constant attention than any individual in the Britain, or elsewhere.”

Uncertain Future and Proposed Solutions

Burgess was dismissed from the park in recent months following the passing of Eos, an ailing beluga the employees had to euthanize. She said the facility suspected information of the incident were leaked to the media and she was released not long after.

The lack of clarity over the whales’ fate has left Burgess and other caretakers in anguish. She says the park’s threat to end the lives of its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “logistically impossible” task, adding any efforts to put down even a individual beluga would require “significant manpower”, equipment and specialized tools.

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

Burgess advocates for demands for the whales to be taken promptly from the park, with its failing enclosures and dwindling staff.

In late September, the nation’s government official denied a request to send the whales to China.

“Allowing the request would have meant a continued situation in captivity and a reversion to display for amusement,” the official wrote. “As the public, we know that whales should be in the ocean, not in tanks for our amusement. I could not in good conscience approve an relocation that would perpetuate the situation these belugas have suffered.”

But Burgess said the minister’s statements indicate a more general misunderstanding of the facts of existence for belugas raised in confinement.

“The society needs to grasp these are whales that have lived entirely in enclosed habitats and they will need ongoing assistance for the rest of their years,” she said. “People just don’t realize that it’s not as straightforward as saying ‘close it down’.”

Alternative Habitat and Continuing Discussion

As authorities attempt to find a answer, ideas have emerged, some of which have minimal feasibility. A suggested plan called for the belugas to be freed into the natural habitat of Canada’s north – where whales are a primary resource of sustenance for local populations.

A proposed sanctuary in the province of Nova Scotia, which now received government approval, has proven most controversial. The future site, which includes a large area of enclosed sea water, remains undeveloped. Advocates remain positive that it could eventually represent a sustainable answer for some of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among trainers she’s consulted, there is “skepticism there” about what she said is “simply an untested concept” in the whales’ well-being.

Different voices say the prospect of a refuge represents a worldwide trend away from animal displays and could represent a workable approach in the coming months.

An official, leader of the plan, said the location will simulate the mental engagement and feeding regimen the whales obtain from trainers, albeit in a more expansive environment. He said after the health of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|