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Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie is an charming little “ham sandwich”. Orion – called “Onion Ring” – is a large but guardian-like companion. Another whale, Zephyr has “endless energy” and sways like a wiggly creature. Lillooet is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a gentle spirit.

Thirty captive marine mammals in a Canadian entertainment facility have become pawns in a struggle between a defunct facility, public officials and advocacy groups.

But those closest to the whales say the impassioned debate over their future often fails to consider the individual traits of the whales who, after living their entire lives in enclosed habitats, have been closely studied by the people who work with them regularly.

After the Canadian government blocked the sale of the belugas to a foreign facility, the embattled facility near the famous falls where they are kept warned to put them down unless the federal government funds the cost of keeping them alive. The nation’s marine resources official has denied that demand, placing the thirty whales in an increasingly precarious situation.

Intelligent Sea Creatures

Experts say that beluga whales’ neural makeup, along with their mimicry abilities, problem solving and communal behavior suggest they are remarkably smart creatures – something one caretaker learned first-hand.

Burgess spent three years as a marine mammal specialist, a job that involved building relationships of the sea creatures.

“Building up those bonds over time takes a lot of consistency and a lot of affection. At the start, they’re very wary of you,” she said. “In time, you gain shared confidence. And they start being more open with you. It’s just so wonderful and fulfilling.”

Burgess knew the whales were exceptionally cognitive, but she says she was even so surprised by the details and unique traits in their characters. She formed a particular love for Eve and Cleopatra with opposing natures.

“One whale accepted me. The other demanded work,” she said. “They altered the way I perceive bonding.”

Public Concerns and Deteriorating Conditions

Burgess’s relationship with the whales progressed against a backdrop of growing public opposition to their enclosure.

During her time at the park, multiple belugas and the park’s single killer whale, Kiska, passed away. In all, nineteen belugas have perished at the park since 2019, a toll which the park links to expected lifespan, but which advocates say indicates the substandard environment in which they were maintained.

The park did not open to the guests over the recent season, but Burgess says she observed directly effects of the shutdown. “Concrete is falling apart from the pools because they’re degrading and not being maintained. The whales are curious and so they grab fragments and navigate with chunks in their mouth. It’s upsetting to see.”

The park did not respond to a questionnaire, but previously asserted: “The whales … receive far better health care and 24/7 supervision than any human in the Britain, or other places.”

Fate in Limbo and Potential Resolutions

Burgess was fired from the facility in recent months following the passing of a beluga, an sick beluga the caretakers had to euthanize. She said the park suspected details of the incident were leaked to the press and she was released not long after.

The lack of clarity over the whales’ outcome has left her and other caretakers in despair. She says the facility’s threat to end the lives of its whales is a leverage tool and is a “practically unfeasible” task, adding any efforts to euthanize even a one beluga would require “considerable manpower”, equipment and specialized tools.

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

She supports requests for the whales to be removed right away from the park, with its crumbling tanks and shrinking team.

In late September, the nation’s government official denied a proposal to send the whales to China.

“Allowing the application would have meant a perpetual existence in confinement and a return to display for amusement,” the official commented. “As the public, we know that whales belong in the wild, not in tanks for our enjoyment. I could not in good conscience permit an transfer that would prolong the conditions these belugas have experienced.”

But Burgess said the minister’s remarks indicate a broader incorrect perception of the realities of life for belugas living their whole lives in enclosures.

“The public needs to realize these are whales that have spent their whole lives in captivity and they will need constant supervision for the foreseeable future,” she said. “Many just don’t understand that it’s not as easy as saying ‘shut it down’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Continuing Discussion

As officials attempt to find a solution, ideas have emerged, some of which have little basis in reality. A suggested plan called for the belugas to be freed into the open waters of northern regions – where whales are a important part of sustenance for Indigenous peoples.

A planned refuge in the region of Nova Scotia, which has received official endorsement, has been most controversial. The prospective location, which includes a large area of protected cove, remains undeveloped. Advocates remain optimistic that it could in time represent a long term answer for a number of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among caretakers she’s discussed with, there is “doubts there” about what she said is “merely an experiment” in the whales’ well-being.

Different voices say the possibility of a refuge indicates a worldwide trend away from captive facilities and could represent a feasible plan in the coming months.

The project lead, head of the sanctuary project, said the site will mimic the intellectual stimulation and nutrition the whales receive from trainers, albeit in a more expansive area. He said after the medical condition of whales is fully assessed, which could take months|an extended period|