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Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie Botts is an charming little “playful character”. The whale Orion – called “Onion” – is a sizeable but very loyal friend. Zephyr has “endless energy” and sways like a wiggly creature. Lillooet the beluga is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a heart of gold.

Thirty captive beluga whales in a Canadian amusement park have become pawns in a struggle between a defunct facility, public officials and animal rights activists.

But those working directly with the whales say the impassioned debate over their fate often ignores the complexities of the whales who, after growing up in captivity, have been closely studied by the humans who interact with them daily.

After the federal government blocked the transfer of the belugas to China, the embattled attraction near the famous falls where they are kept threatened to euthanize them unless the federal government covers the cost of their care. Canada’s marine resources official has rejected that ultimatum, placing the 30 whales in an dangerously unstable situation.

Highly Cognitive Marine Mammals

Scientists say that beluga whales’ neural makeup, along with their sound replication, problem solving and social skills suggest they are highly cognitive animals – something a former trainer observed first-hand.

Burgess spent several years as a whale caretaker, a job that involved building relationships of the sea creatures.

“Building up those relationships over time takes a lot of dedication and a lot of love. At the start, they’re very cautious of you,” she said. “Eventually, you gain mutual trust. And they start being more vulnerable with you. It’s just so extraordinary and fulfilling.”

Burgess knew the whales were very smart, but she says she was nevertheless amazed by the nuances and unique traits in their personalities. She formed a deep bond for Eve and Cleopatra with different personalities.

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

Public Concerns and Facility Decline

Her interaction with the whales evolved against a backdrop of increasing societal concern to their captivity.

During her tenure at the facility, seven belugas and the park’s one orca, the orca, succumbed. In all, nineteen belugas have perished at the park since recent years, a toll which the facility attributes to age-related causes, but which campaigners say points to the substandard environment in which they were maintained.

The facility did not open to the public over the recent season, but the former trainer says she observed directly consequences of the shutdown. “Concrete is deteriorating from the enclosures because they’re in disrepair and not being fixed. The whales are exploratory and so they take pieces and move about with fragments in their mouth. It’s distressing to see.”

The park did not respond to a request for comment, but in the past claimed: “The whales … obtain far superior medical attention and constant care than any human in the United Kingdom, or elsewhere.”

Uncertain Future and Proposed Solutions

The former employee was dismissed from the facility in the spring following the demise of a beluga, an unwell beluga the park staff had to humanely kill. She said the facility thought information of the incident were disclosed to the media and she was released not long after.

The lack of clarity over the whales’ outcome has left Burgess and other caretakers in anguish. She says the facility’s warning to kill its whales is a leverage tool and is a “practically unfeasible” task, adding any attempts to euthanize even a individual beluga would require “considerable manpower”, equipment and specialized tools.

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

Burgess advocates for demands for the whales to be taken right away from the park, with its failing enclosures and reduced personnel.

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

“To approve the request would have meant a ongoing life in enclosure and a reversion to performance for audiences,” the official wrote. “As the public, we know that whales belong in the sea, not in enclosures for our amusement. I could not in ethical standing authorize an transfer that would continue the situation these belugas have endured.”

But Burgess said the minister’s statements reflect a wider misunderstanding of the circumstances of life for belugas living their whole lives in enclosures.

“The society needs to understand these are whales that have lived entirely in enclosed habitats and they will need constant supervision for the rest of their years,” she said. “People just don’t comprehend that it’s not as easy as saying ‘end operations’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Ongoing Debate

As authorities struggle to find a resolution, suggestions have been put forward, some of which have little basis in reality. A suggested plan called for the belugas to be let go into the wilds of Canada’s north – where whales are a key source of sustenance for Indigenous peoples.

A proposed refuge in the region of eastern Canada, which now received official endorsement, has shown to be most controversial. The future facility, which includes 100 acres of penned in ocean, remains undeveloped. Advocates remain optimistic that it could eventually represent a long term solution for some of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among trainers she’s consulted, there is “no trust there” about what she said is “merely an experiment” in the whales’ future.

Some experts say the possibility of a protected habitat reflects a worldwide trend away from captive facilities and could represent a viable solution in the coming months.

Charles Vinick, head of the sanctuary project, said the location will mimic the mental engagement and diet the whales receive from specialists, albeit in a significantly bigger environment. He said after the medical condition of whales is completely examined, which could take months|an extended period|