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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie Botts is an adorable little “playful character”. Orion – called “Onion Ring” – is a large but guardian-like companion. Another whale, Zephyr has “constant motion” and sways like a wiggly creature. Lillooet is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a gentle spirit.

A group of thirty captive beluga whales in a Canadian amusement park have become pawns in a disagreement between a closed attraction, government authorities and advocacy groups.

But those working directly with the whales say the intense controversy over their future often fails to consider the complexities of the whales who, after living their entire lives in enclosed habitats, have been carefully observed by the people who interact with them daily.

After the Canadian government disallowed the sale of the belugas to a foreign facility, the controversial amusement park near the famous falls where they are housed warned to end their lives unless the federal government covers the cost of their care. Canada’s marine resources official has rejected that request, placing the 30 whales in an dangerously unstable position.

Intelligent Marine Mammals

Scientists say that beluga whales’ brain structure, along with their mimicry abilities, intellectual tasks and group interactions suggest they are deeply intelligent creatures – something one caretaker discovered directly.

Burgess spent a significant period as a beluga trainer, a role that entailed gaining confidence of the aquatic animals.

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

The trainer knew the whales were highly intelligent, but she says she was nevertheless surprised by the subtleties and idiosyncrasies in their personalities. She developed a special affection for Eve and Cleopatra with contrasting temperaments.

“One whale chose me. Cleo made me earn it,” she said. “Each transformed the way I view relationships.”

Growing Opposition and Facility Decline

Her interaction with the whales progressed against a context of growing public opposition to their captivity.

During her time at the facility, seven belugas and the park’s single orca, Kiska, succumbed. In all, 19 belugas have perished at the park since recent years, a toll which the park attributes to age-related causes, but which advocates say reflects the substandard environment in which they were housed.

The facility did not operate to the public over the summer, but Burgess says she observed directly consequences of the closure. “Structural materials is falling apart from the enclosures because they’re degrading and not being maintained. The whales are exploratory and so they grab fragments and swim around with pieces in their jaws. It’s upsetting to see.”

The facility did not reply to a request for comment, but previously claimed: “The whales … get far better medical attention and 24/7 attention than any person in the UK, or elsewhere.”

Uncertain Future and Potential Resolutions

Burgess was terminated from the park in recent months following the passing of Eos, an unwell beluga the park staff had to humanely kill. She said the park thought information of the incident were leaked to the news outlets and she was fired shortly thereafter.

The uncertainty over the whales’ future has left her and current and former trainers in distress. She says the park’s threat to euthanize its whales is a leverage tool and is a “logistically impossible” task, adding any efforts to put down even a one beluga would require “considerable personnel”, equipment and specialized tools.

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

She advocates for requests for the whales to be taken immediately from the facility, with its deteriorating pools and dwindling staff.

In recent months, the nation’s fisheries minister rejected a request to send the whales to an overseas location.

“To approve the application would have meant a continued situation in confinement and a reversion to public entertainment,” the official stated. “As Canadians, we know that whales are meant for the ocean, not in tanks for our enjoyment. I could not in ethical standing approve an relocation that would perpetuate the situation these belugas have suffered.”

But Burgess said the official’s statements reveal a broader lack of awareness of the facts of life for belugas raised in confinement.

“The public needs to grasp these are whales that have lived entirely in captivity and they will need human care for the foreseeable future,” she said. “The public just don’t understand that it’s not as simple as saying ‘close it down’.”

Alternative Habitat and Ongoing Debate

As decision makers struggle to find a resolution, suggestions have been put forward, some of which have questionable practicality. A suggested plan called for the belugas to be released into the wilds of the Arctic – where whales are a key source of nourishment for local populations.

A proposed sanctuary in the region of eastern Canada, which now received regulatory clearance, has been highly debated. The future site, which includes a large area of protected cove, remains undeveloped. Proponents remain optimistic that it could ultimately represent a long term solution for eight of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among staff she’s consulted, there is “doubts there” about what she said is “only an trial” in the whales’ well-being.

Different voices say the idea of a refuge represents a broader global shift away from zoos and aquariums and could represent a viable solution in the coming months.

The project lead, director of the plan, said the site will simulate the intellectual stimulation and diet the whales get from trainers, albeit in a much larger space. He said after the health of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|