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Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie Botts is an charming small “sweetheart”. Orion – called “Onion Ring” – is a sizeable but very loyal friend. Zephyr has “constant motion” and sways like a wiggly creature. Lillooet is the “loving presence” with a heart of gold.

A group of thirty captive marine mammals in a Canada-based entertainment facility have been caught in a tussle between a closed attraction, local and national governments and welfare campaigners.

But those most familiar with the whales say the intense debate over their destiny often fails to consider the complexities of the whales who, after living their entire lives in confinement, have been carefully observed by the humans who see them each day.

After the national authorities blocked the sale of the belugas to China, the struggling facility near the famous falls where they are held stated it would consider to put them down unless the government funds the expense of their survival. The nation’s fisheries minister has refused that request, placing the 30 whales in an increasingly precarious circumstance.

Intelligent Sea Creatures

Scientists say that belugas’ neuroanatomy, along with their mimicry abilities, intellectual tasks and group interactions indicate they are deeply intelligent animals – something a former trainer discovered first-hand.

Burgess spent three years as a whale caretaker, a job that involved gaining confidence of the aquatic animals.

“Building up those relationships over time takes a lot of dedication and a lot of love. At the start, they’re very cautious of you,” she said. “In time, you gain shared confidence. And they start being more open with you. It’s just so magical and fulfilling.”

Burgess knew the whales were very smart, but she says she was even so surprised by the subtleties and quirks in their personalities. She cultivated a special affection for two female belugas with opposing natures.

“One whale accepted me. Cleo demanded work,” she said. “Both changed the way I understand relationships.”

Growing Opposition and Deteriorating Conditions

Burgess’s connection with the whales developed against a context of growing public opposition to their enclosure.

During her tenure at the park, seven belugas and the park’s one orca, the orca, died. In all, 19 belugas have perished at the park since 2019, a number which the park attributes to age-related causes, but which activists say points to the substandard environment in which they were kept.

The facility did not admit visitors to the visitors over the recent season, but the former trainer says she saw with her own eyes results of the closure. “Concrete is deteriorating from the enclosures because they’re degrading and not being maintained. The whales are exploratory and so they grab fragments and navigate with fragments in their mouth. It’s upsetting to see.”

The facility did not reply to a request for comment, but in the past stated: “The whales … obtain far better veterinary services and 24/7 care than any individual in the Britain, or other places.”

Uncertain Future and Potential Resolutions

Burgess was dismissed from the park in early March following the death of a beluga, an ailing beluga the employees had to humanely kill. She said the facility believed particulars of the incident were leaked to the media and she was released not long after.

The ambiguity over the whales’ outcome has left her and other caretakers in despair. She says the park’s ultimatum to kill its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “extremely difficult” undertaking, adding any plans to humanely kill even a individual beluga would require “immense personnel”, vehicles and specialized tools.

“It cannot happen in hell the employees would ever do it,” she said.

She supports calls for the whales to be transferred right away from the park, with its failing enclosures and shrinking team.

In recent months, Canada’s government official turned down a request to export the whales to an overseas location.

“Granting the request would have meant a perpetual life in captivity and a return to performance for audiences,” the minister stated. “As society, we know that marine mammals should be in the sea, not in tanks for our entertainment. I could not in good conscience authorize an export that would continue the conditions these belugas have experienced.”

But Burgess said the minister’s statements reveal a broader incorrect perception of the realities of life for belugas raised in confinement.

“The society needs to grasp these are whales that have spent their whole lives in confinement and they will need ongoing assistance for the rest of their years,” she said. “People just don’t comprehend that it’s not as simple as saying ‘close it down’.”

Alternative Habitat and Ongoing Debate

As decision makers struggle to find a solution, 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 the Arctic – where whales are a important part of sustenance for Inuit communities.

A planned refuge in the region of Nova Scotia, which recently received official endorsement, has shown to be highly debated. The planned location, which includes 100 acres of enclosed sea water, is not yet built. Proponents remain hopeful that it could ultimately represent a permanent answer for some of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among trainers she’s discussed with, there is “no trust there” about what she said is “merely an experiment” in the whales’ future.

Others say the prospect of a sanctuary represents a worldwide trend away from captive facilities and could represent a feasible approach in the coming months.

Charles Vinick, director of the sanctuary project, said the facility will simulate the cognitive activities and diet the whales obtain from trainers, albeit in a more expansive area. He said after the health of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|