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Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie Botts is an charming small “playful character”. Orion – nicknamed “Onion” – is a large but fiercely protective friend. Another whale, Zephyr has “ants in his pants” and wiggles like a wiggly creature. Lillooet is the “most affectionate” with a kind nature.

A group of thirty captive marine mammals in a Canadian entertainment facility have been caught in a disagreement between a shuttered park, local and national governments and advocacy groups.

But those working directly with the whales say the impassioned controversy over their fate often ignores the individual traits of the whales who, after growing up in confinement, have been closely studied by the caretakers who see them each day.

After the Canadian government blocked the sale of the belugas to China, the struggling amusement park near the famous falls where they are housed threatened to put them down unless the authorities pays for the cost of keeping them alive. The nation’s fisheries minister has rejected that demand, placing the 30 whales in an ever more uncertain circumstance.

Intelligent Sea Creatures

Experts say that beluga whales’ neural makeup, along with their vocal imitation skills, cognitive challenges and group interactions point to they are deeply intelligent creatures – something Kristy Burgess learned directly.

Burgess spent a significant period as a whale caretaker, a job that involved earning the trust of the aquatic animals.

“Developing those relationships over time takes a lot of dedication and a lot of affection. 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 extraordinary and gratifying.”

The trainer knew the whales were highly intelligent, but she says she was nevertheless amazed by the details and unique traits in their characters. She cultivated a particular love for Eve and Cleopatra with different temperaments.

“One whale accepted me. The other required effort,” she said. “Both altered the way I understand connection.”

Growing Opposition and Facility Decline

Her interaction with the whales progressed against a context of rising activist criticism to their captivity.

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

The facility did not operate to the guests over the recent season, but the former trainer 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 curious and so they grab fragments and swim around with pieces in their jaws. It’s upsetting to see.”

The facility did not respond to a inquiry, but in the past claimed: “The whales … obtain far superior veterinary services and constant care than any human in the United Kingdom, or anywhere else.”

Uncertain Future and Proposed Solutions

The former employee was dismissed from the park in the spring following the passing of Eos, an unwell beluga the park staff had to put down. She said the facility believed particulars of the death were leaked to the press and she was fired not long after.

The lack of clarity over the whales’ fate has left her and other caretakers in despair. She says the facility’s ultimatum to end the lives of its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “practically unfeasible” undertaking, adding any efforts to put down even a single beluga would require “considerable personnel”, equipment and machinery.

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

Burgess advocates for demands for the whales to be transferred immediately from the park, with its crumbling tanks and reduced personnel.

In late September, Canada’s fisheries minister rejected a proposal to send the whales to an overseas location.

“Granting the application would have meant a ongoing existence in confinement and a reversion to display for amusement,” the official wrote. “As the public, we know that marine mammals belong in the sea, not in enclosures for our entertainment. I could not in ethical standing approve an transfer that would perpetuate the situation these belugas have suffered.”

But Burgess said the minister’s comments indicate a broader misunderstanding of the realities of life for belugas born in captivity.

“The public needs to understand these are whales that have spent their whole lives in captivity and they will need constant supervision for the rest of their years,” she said. “People just don’t understand that it’s not as straightforward as saying ‘end operations’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Continuing Discussion

As authorities work to find a resolution, suggestions have surfaced, some of which have questionable practicality. A suggested plan called for the belugas to be released into the natural habitat of the Arctic – where whales are a primary resource of sustenance for Indigenous peoples.

A proposed protected area in the province of Nova Scotia, which has received official endorsement, has shown to be contentious. The planned location, which includes a large area of protected cove, remains undeveloped. Proponents remain positive that it could in time represent a sustainable answer for a number of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among caretakers she’s spoken with, there is “no trust there” about what she said is “merely an trial” in the whales’ future.

Some experts say the possibility of a refuge represents a worldwide trend away from zoos and aquariums and could represent a workable approach in the coming months.

The project lead, head of the initiative, said the site will replicate the cognitive activities and nutrition the whales receive from caretakers, albeit in a more expansive space. He said after the medical condition of whales is completely examined, which could take months|an extended period|