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Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie Botts is an adorable little “playful character”. Orion – nicknamed “Onion” – is a sizeable but guardian-like companion. Zephyr has “constant motion” and wiggles like a wiggly creature. Lillooet is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a heart of gold.

Thirty enclosed marine mammals in a Canada-based entertainment facility have been caught in a tussle between a defunct facility, government authorities and advocacy groups.

But those working directly with the whales say the impassioned debate over their fate often fails to consider the nuances of the whales who, after growing up in enclosed habitats, have been carefully observed by the people who see them each day.

After the Canadian government disallowed the transfer of the belugas to a foreign facility, the struggling amusement park near the famous falls where they are housed stated it would consider to euthanize them unless the government pays for the cost of their care. Canada’s fisheries minister has denied that demand, placing the 30 whales in an increasingly precarious situation.

Highly Cognitive Sea Creatures

Experts say that beluga whales’ brain structure, along with their sound replication, intellectual tasks and social skills point to they are remarkably smart mammals – something Kristy Burgess learned first-hand.

Burgess spent a significant period as a whale caretaker, a job that required 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 wary of you,” she said. “Over time, you gain shared confidence. And they start being more vulnerable with you. It’s just so magical and fulfilling.”

Burgess knew the whales were exceptionally cognitive, but she says she was even so surprised by the nuances and unique traits in their dispositions. She cultivated a deep bond for a pair of whales with different natures.

“One whale chose me. Cleo required effort,” she said. “Both transformed the way I view connection.”

Public Concerns and Facility Decline

Her interaction with the whales progressed against a background of rising activist criticism to their captivity.

During her time at the facility, seven belugas and the park’s single orca, the orca, died. In total, nineteen belugas have perished at the park since recent years, a statistic which the park attributes to natural mortality, but which campaigners say indicates the poor conditions in which they were maintained.

The park did not operate to the visitors over the summer, but Burgess says she witnessed firsthand results of the shutdown. “Structural materials is breaking off from the enclosures because they’re in disrepair and not being repaired. The whales are curious and so they grab fragments and move about with pieces in their mouth. It’s upsetting to see.”

The facility did not reply to a questionnaire, but previously asserted: “The whales … obtain far superior health care and 24/7 supervision than any person in the United Kingdom, or other places.”

Uncertain Future and Potential Resolutions

The former employee was dismissed from the facility in recent months following the passing of a beluga, an sick beluga the park staff had to euthanize. She said the park believed details of the death were disclosed to the press and she was fired soon after.

The lack of clarity over the whales’ fate has left her and other caretakers in despair. She says the park’s threat to euthanize its whales is a bargaining chip and is a “extremely difficult” undertaking, adding any attempts to humanely kill even a individual beluga would require “significant personnel”, equipment and specialized tools.

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

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

In recent months, the nation’s fisheries minister turned down a proposal to export the whales to China.

“To approve the application would have meant a perpetual life in captivity and a reversion to public entertainment,” the minister stated. “As Canadians, we know that marine mammals belong in the ocean, not in pools for our amusement. I could not in clear conscience authorize an transfer that would continue the conditions these belugas have experienced.”

But the former trainer said the minister’s statements reflect a wider lack of awareness of the facts of existence for belugas raised in confinement.

“The people needs to realize these are whales that have lived entirely in captivity and they will need human care for the remainder of their lives,” she said. “People just don’t realize that it’s not as straightforward as saying ‘end operations’.”

Alternative Habitat and Ongoing Debate

As authorities struggle to find a resolution, suggestions have emerged, some of which have little basis in reality. An idea called for the belugas to be freed into the wilds of Canada’s north – where whales are a important part of food for Indigenous peoples.

A suggested protected area in the province of Nova Scotia, which recently received regulatory clearance, has proven contentious. The planned facility, which includes extensive space of penned in ocean, remains undeveloped. Proponents remain positive that it could ultimately represent a long term solution for eight of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among staff she’s spoken with, there is “skepticism there” about what she said is “merely an experiment” in the whales’ fate.

Others say the possibility of a refuge reflects a worldwide trend away from animal displays and could represent a feasible plan in the near future.

Charles Vinick, leader of the sanctuary project, said the location will replicate the cognitive activities and diet the whales get from caretakers, albeit in a significantly bigger environment. He said after the health of whales is fully assessed, which could take months|an extended period|