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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie Botts is an adorable little “ham sandwich”. Orion – nicknamed “Onion” – is a large but very loyal friend. Zephyr has “constant motion” and wiggles like a wiggly creature. Lillooet is the “loving presence” with a kind nature.

Thirty enclosed beluga whales in a Canadian amusement park have become pawns in a struggle between a shuttered park, public officials and advocacy groups.

But those closest to the whales say the intense controversy over their future often fails to consider the complexities of the whales who, after spending their lives in enclosed habitats, have been carefully observed by the humans who work with them regularly.

After the national authorities blocked the export of the belugas to China, the embattled amusement park near the famous falls where they are kept warned to put them down unless the federal government pays for the expense of their survival. The nation’s marine resources official has denied that ultimatum, placing the thirty whales in an increasingly precarious circumstance.

Highly Cognitive Marine Mammals

Researchers say that beluga whales’ brain structure, along with their mimicry abilities, problem solving and social skills indicate they are remarkably smart creatures – something a former trainer discovered first-hand.

Burgess spent a significant period as a whale caretaker, a role that involved gaining confidence of the aquatic animals.

“Developing those relationships over time takes a lot of consistency and a lot of love. At the beginning, they’re very unsure of you,” she said. “Eventually, you gain mutual trust. And they start being more trusting with you. It’s just so magical and fulfilling.”

Burgess knew the whales were exceptionally cognitive, but she says she was nonetheless amazed by the nuances and quirks in their dispositions. She developed a deep bond for Eve and Cleopatra with contrasting temperaments.

“Eve accepted me. Cleo required effort,” she said. “Both altered the way I perceive relationships.”

Growing Opposition and Facility Decline

Burgess’s relationship with the whales developed against a backdrop of increasing societal concern to their captivity.

During her three years at the attraction, multiple belugas and the park’s single killer whale, the orca, passed away. In total, nineteen belugas have died at the park since 2019, a statistic which the facility ascribes to expected lifespan, but which activists say points to the inadequate care in which they were kept.

The park did not operate to the public over the summer, but Burgess says she witnessed firsthand results of the shutdown. “Structural materials is breaking off from the pools because they’re degrading and not being fixed. The whales are exploratory and so they take pieces and swim around with pieces in their jaws. It’s heartbreaking to see.”

The facility did not respond to a request for comment, but in the past asserted: “The whales … get far superior medical attention and constant attention than any human in the United Kingdom, or other places.”

Fate in Limbo and Proposed Solutions

The former employee was fired from the park in early March following the passing of Eos, an unwell beluga the caretakers had to euthanize. She said the facility suspected information of the death were disclosed to the news outlets and she was released not long after.

The ambiguity over the whales’ future has left Burgess and staff members in anguish. She says the park’s ultimatum to euthanize its whales is a bargaining chip and is a “logistically impossible” endeavor, adding any attempts to put down even a single beluga would require “immense staff”, vehicles and specialized tools.

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

She backs demands for the whales to be removed promptly from the park, with its deteriorating pools and shrinking team.

In late September, the nation’s government official turned down a bid to send the whales to China.

“To approve the request would have meant a perpetual life in enclosure and a return to public entertainment,” the minister stated. “As society, we know that belugas should be in the sea, not in tanks for our entertainment. I could not in clear conscience approve an relocation that would prolong the conditions these belugas have experienced.”

But the former trainer said the minister’s statements reflect a more general incorrect perception of the realities of existence for belugas raised in confinement.

“The society needs to understand these are whales that have existed solely in enclosed habitats and they will need ongoing assistance for the foreseeable future,” she said. “Many just don’t understand that it’s not as easy as saying ‘end operations’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Ongoing Debate

As decision makers work to find a answer, suggestions have surfaced, some of which have minimal feasibility. An idea called for the belugas to be let go into the open waters of northern regions – where whales are a key source of food for Indigenous peoples.

A proposed sanctuary in the region of Nova Scotia, which now received government approval, has been contentious. The planned facility, which includes extensive space of enclosed sea water, doesn’t yet exist. Supporters remain optimistic that it could in time represent a permanent answer for some of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among staff she’s consulted, there is “no trust there” about what she said is “only an trial” in the whales’ fate.

Others say the idea of a sanctuary represents a broader global shift away from animal displays and could represent a workable approach in the short term.

An official, leader of the initiative, said the location will simulate the intellectual stimulation and diet the whales get from trainers, albeit in a much larger area. He said after the medical condition of whales is fully assessed, which could take months|an extended period|