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Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie is an adorable small “sweetheart”. Orion – nicknamed “Onion Ring” – is a large but guardian-like friend. Another whale, Zephyr has “endless energy” and wiggles like a worm. Lillooet the beluga is the “loving presence” with a gentle spirit.

Thirty captive marine mammals in a Canada-based entertainment facility have been caught in a disagreement between a defunct facility, government authorities and welfare campaigners.

But those most familiar with the whales say the heated discussion over their fate often ignores the complexities of the whales who, after living their entire lives in captivity, have been carefully observed by the humans who interact with them daily.

After the federal government prevented the export of the belugas to a foreign facility, the embattled attraction near the famous falls where they are held stated it would consider to euthanize them unless the government funds the expense of their care. The nation’s marine resources official has rejected that ultimatum, placing the 30 whales in an increasingly precarious situation.

Intelligent Marine Mammals

Experts say that belugas’ neuroanatomy, along with their vocal imitation skills, problem solving and communal behavior point to they are remarkably smart animals – something Kristy Burgess discovered directly.

She spent a significant period as a whale caretaker, a role that required building relationships of the aquatic animals.

“Building up those bonds over time takes a lot of consistency and a lot of care. At the beginning, they’re very cautious of you,” she said. “Eventually, you gain shared confidence. And they start being more open 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 subtleties and unique traits in their dispositions. She developed a deep bond for two female belugas with different personalities.

“One whale chose me. Cleo demanded work,” she said. “Each altered the way I perceive connection.”

Public Concerns and Facility Decline

Her connection with the whales progressed against a context of increasing societal concern to their confinement.

During her time at the facility, seven belugas and the park’s single killer whale, Kiska, died. In all, nineteen belugas have died at the park since 2019, a toll which the facility links to expected lifespan, but which campaigners say reflects the poor conditions in which they were kept.

The facility did not operate to the guests over the recent season, but the former trainer says she saw with her own eyes results of the closure. “Structural materials is deteriorating from the enclosures because they’re in disrepair and not being fixed. The whales are curious and so they take pieces and move about with chunks in their jaws. It’s distressing to see.”

The facility did not reply to a request for comment, but previously claimed: “The whales … receive far higher quality veterinary services and constant supervision than any individual in the Britain, or other places.”

Fate in Limbo and Potential Resolutions

The former employee was dismissed from the facility in recent months following the demise of a beluga, an ailing beluga the park staff had to humanely kill. She said the facility thought details of the incident were leaked to the media and she was released shortly thereafter.

The lack of clarity over the whales’ outcome has left Burgess and current and former trainers in despair. She says the park’s warning to end the lives of its whales is a leverage tool and is a “practically unfeasible” undertaking, adding any plans to humanely kill even a one beluga would require “significant personnel”, vehicles and machinery.

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

Burgess supports demands for the whales to be taken promptly from the park, with its deteriorating pools and dwindling staff.

In the autumn, the nation’s fisheries minister turned down a bid to export the whales to an overseas location.

“Granting the request would have meant a ongoing existence in confinement and a reversion to public entertainment,” the official wrote. “As Canadians, we know that belugas belong in the ocean, not in tanks for our amusement. I could not in clear conscience authorize an relocation that would continue the conditions these belugas have experienced.”

But Burgess said the minister’s statements reveal a broader misunderstanding of the facts of living conditions for belugas raised in confinement.

“The public needs to grasp these are whales that have spent their whole lives in captivity and they will need constant supervision for the rest of their years,” she said. “Many just don’t realize that it’s not as straightforward as saying ‘end operations’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Continuing Discussion

As officials attempt to find a resolution, proposals have surfaced, some of which have questionable practicality. One proposal called for the belugas to be released into the wilds of the Arctic – where whales are a key source of food for Inuit communities.

A suggested refuge in the region of eastern Canada, which has received regulatory clearance, has been contentious. The future location, which includes 100 acres of enclosed sea water, remains undeveloped. Advocates remain hopeful that it could eventually represent a long term solution for eight of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among caretakers she’s consulted, there is “no trust there” about what she said is “only an untested concept” in the whales’ well-being.

Different voices say the prospect of a protected habitat reflects a worldwide trend away from captive facilities and could represent a viable plan in the short term.

An official, head of the plan, said the location will simulate the mental engagement and feeding regimen the whales get from caretakers, albeit in a significantly bigger area. He said after the well-being of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|