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Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie Botts is an cute little “playful character”. The whale Orion – called “Onion Ring” – is a sizeable but very loyal friend. Zephyr has “endless energy” and moves like a worm. Lillooet the beluga is the “loving presence” with a kind nature.

Thirty enclosed marine mammals in a Canadian entertainment facility have been entangled in a struggle between a closed attraction, government authorities and advocacy groups.

But those working directly with the whales say the intense discussion over their destiny often ignores the nuances of the whales who, after growing up in captivity, have been thoroughly researched by the humans who see them each day.

After the Canadian government disallowed the sale of the belugas to a foreign facility, the struggling facility near the famous falls where they are held stated it would consider to euthanize them unless the federal government funds the upkeep of their survival. Canada’s fisheries minister has rejected that ultimatum, placing the 30 whales in an ever more uncertain position.

Highly Cognitive Sea Creatures

Researchers say that beluga whales’ brain structure, along with their sound replication, cognitive challenges and social skills suggest they are deeply intelligent creatures – something a former trainer discovered personally.

She spent several years as a marine mammal specialist, a role that entailed earning the trust of the sea creatures.

“Developing those bonds over time takes a lot of regularity and a lot of care. At the start, they’re very wary of you,” she said. “Over time, you gain reciprocal understanding. And they start being more open with you. It’s just so wonderful and gratifying.”

The trainer knew the whales were highly intelligent, but she says she was nevertheless astounded by the subtleties and unique traits in their personalities. She cultivated a deep bond for Eve and Cleopatra with different personalities.

“One whale chose me. The other demanded work,” she said. “They transformed the way I understand connection.”

Public Concerns and Facility Decline

Her connection with the whales developed against a backdrop of rising activist criticism to their confinement.

During her three years at the park, multiple belugas and the park’s one killer whale, the orca, died. In total, 19 belugas have perished at the park since 2019, a number which the facility attributes to natural mortality, but which advocates say indicates the poor conditions in which they were housed.

The facility did not admit visitors to the public over the summer, but the former trainer says she saw with her own eyes effects of the cessation. “Concrete is deteriorating from the enclosures because they’re falling apart and not being fixed. The whales are curious and so they take pieces and move about with fragments in their mouth. It’s heartbreaking to see.”

The park did not respond to a request for comment, but in the past asserted: “The whales … receive far better medical attention and constant attention than any person in the United Kingdom, or anywhere else.”

Fate in Limbo and Proposed Solutions

Burgess was dismissed from the facility in early March following the demise of Eos, an sick beluga the employees had to humanely kill. She said the park suspected details of the incident were shared to the press and she was fired shortly thereafter.

The uncertainty over the whales’ outcome has left Burgess and staff members in anguish. She says the park’s ultimatum to end the lives of its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “extremely difficult” undertaking, adding any plans to humanely kill even a single beluga would require “significant personnel”, vehicles and specialized tools.

“It’s impossible in hell the employees would ever do it,” she said.

She advocates for calls for the whales to be taken right away from the park, with its deteriorating pools and dwindling staff.

In recent months, Canada’s fisheries minister rejected a bid to send the whales to China.

“Granting the request would have meant a ongoing situation in enclosure and a reversion to public entertainment,” the official wrote. “As society, we know that whales should be in the ocean, not in tanks for our amusement. I could not in good conscience approve an relocation that would prolong the treatment these belugas have experienced.”

But the former trainer said the official’s comments indicate a wider incorrect perception of the circumstances of living conditions for belugas born in captivity.

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

Sanctuary Proposal and Continuing Discussion

As authorities struggle to find a answer, ideas have emerged, some of which have minimal feasibility. One proposal called for the belugas to be let go into the open waters of Canada’s north – where whales are a primary resource of food for Inuit communities.

A proposed refuge in the region of Nova Scotia, which has received official endorsement, has been highly debated. The prospective location, which includes a large area of enclosed sea water, doesn’t yet exist. Supporters remain optimistic that it could in time represent a sustainable answer for a number of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among staff she’s discussed with, there is “no trust there” about what she said is “simply an untested concept” in the whales’ well-being.

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

Charles Vinick, leader of the sanctuary project, said the site will mimic the cognitive activities and feeding regimen the whales get from trainers, albeit in a more expansive environment. He said after the medical condition of whales is fully assessed, which could take months|an extended period|