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Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie is an adorable small “sweetheart”. Orion – called “Onion” – is a sizeable but fiercely protective companion. Another whale, Zephyr has “ants in his pants” and sways like a wiggly creature. Lillooet the beluga is the “loving presence” with a heart of gold.

Thirty captive marine mammals in a Canada-based amusement park have been caught in a struggle between a defunct facility, local and national governments and animal rights activists.

But those working directly with the whales say the heated controversy over their destiny often overlooks the individual traits of the whales who, after growing up in confinement, have been thoroughly researched by the people who work with them regularly.

After the federal government disallowed the export of the belugas to a foreign facility, the controversial amusement park near the famous falls where they are housed threatened to put them down unless the federal government covers the upkeep of their survival. The nation’s fisheries minister has rejected that demand, placing the 30 whales in an increasingly precarious position.

Intelligent Marine Mammals

Experts say that belugas’ brain structure, along with their vocal imitation skills, intellectual tasks and communal behavior suggest they are deeply intelligent mammals – something Kristy Burgess learned first-hand.

She spent three years as a whale caretaker, a position that required building relationships of the marine predators.

“Establishing those relationships over time takes a lot of dedication and a lot of care. At the beginning, they’re very unsure of you,” she said. “In time, you gain shared confidence. And they start being more vulnerable with you. It’s just so wonderful and gratifying.”

The trainer knew the whales were very smart, but she says she was nevertheless amazed by the subtleties and quirks in their characters. She formed a deep bond for Eve and Cleopatra with contrasting temperaments.

“One whale accepted me. The other made me earn it,” she said. “Both transformed the way I perceive bonding.”

Public Concerns and Facility Decline

Burgess’s interaction with the whales developed against a backdrop of rising activist criticism to their confinement.

During her three years at the facility, multiple belugas and the park’s single killer whale, the orca, died. In all, nineteen belugas have died at the park since 2019, a toll which the facility links to age-related causes, but which campaigners say reflects the poor conditions in which they were kept.

The facility did not open to the visitors over the summer, but the former trainer says she observed directly effects of the closure. “Structural materials is breaking off from the enclosures because they’re in disrepair and not being maintained. The whales are curious and so they grab fragments and swim around with chunks in their jaws. It’s upsetting to see.”

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

Uncertain Future and Proposed Solutions

Burgess was terminated from the park in recent months following the passing of Eos, an sick beluga the park staff had to euthanize. She said the park believed details of the incident were disclosed to the news outlets and she was released soon after.

The uncertainty over the whales’ outcome has left Burgess and other caretakers in anguish. She says the facility’s threat to end the lives of its whales is a leverage tool and is a “extremely difficult” undertaking, adding any plans to euthanize even a single beluga would require “immense personnel”, trucks and specialized tools.

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

She backs requests for the whales to be taken promptly from the park, with its failing enclosures and reduced personnel.

In the autumn, Canada’s government official denied a proposal to transfer the whales to an overseas location.

“Allowing the request would have meant a continued life in enclosure and a return to display for amusement,” the minister stated. “As the public, we know that whales should be in the ocean, not in enclosures for our entertainment. I could not in clear conscience approve an export that would prolong the conditions these belugas have suffered.”

But Burgess said the minister’s remarks reflect a more general misunderstanding of the facts of existence for belugas born in captivity.

“The society needs to grasp these are whales that have spent their whole lives in captivity and they will need ongoing assistance for the foreseeable future,” she said. “Many just don’t comprehend that it’s not as straightforward as saying ‘close it down’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Continuing Discussion

As decision makers work to find a solution, ideas have emerged, some of which have minimal feasibility. A suggested plan called for the belugas to be freed into the open waters of the Arctic – where whales are a important part of sustenance for Indigenous peoples.

A suggested refuge in the province of eastern Canada, which recently received government approval, has proven contentious. The prospective location, which includes 100 acres of protected cove, is not yet built. Advocates remain positive that it could in time represent a sustainable resolution for a number of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among staff she’s consulted, there is “no trust there” about what she said is “merely an experiment” in the whales’ fate.

Others say the prospect of a refuge represents a broader global shift away from captive facilities and could represent a workable solution in the near future.

An official, leader of the initiative, said the location will mimic the cognitive activities and feeding regimen the whales receive from trainers, albeit in a more expansive environment. He said after the health of whales is completely examined, which could take months|an extended period|