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Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie is an cute small “ham sandwich”. Orion – called “Onion Ring” – is a sizeable but guardian-like companion. Another whale, Zephyr has “ants in his pants” and moves like a worm. Lillooet is the “most affectionate” with a heart of gold.

Thirty captive marine mammals in a Canada-based amusement park have been entangled in a disagreement between a shuttered park, government authorities and welfare campaigners.

But those most familiar with the whales say the intense debate over their future often overlooks the nuances of the whales who, after living their entire lives in enclosed habitats, have been closely studied by the humans who work with them regularly.

After the federal government disallowed the sale of the belugas to a foreign facility, the struggling amusement park near the famous falls where they are housed threatened to end their lives unless the government funds the upkeep of their care. Canada’s fisheries minister has rejected that request, placing the 30 whales in an dangerously unstable circumstance.

Highly Cognitive Sea Creatures

Experts say that beluga whales’ neuroanatomy, along with their vocal imitation skills, problem solving and social skills suggest they are remarkably smart mammals – something one caretaker learned first-hand.

She spent a significant period as a whale caretaker, a role that required building relationships of the aquatic animals.

“Building up those connections over time takes a lot of consistency and a lot of affection. 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 wonderful and fulfilling.”

Burgess knew the whales were exceptionally cognitive, but she says she was nonetheless amazed by the subtleties and unique traits in their characters. She formed a special affection for a pair of whales with contrasting natures.

“Eve accepted me. Cleo demanded work,” she said. “Both altered the way I understand bonding.”

Public Concerns and Facility Decline

Her relationship with the whales evolved against a background of rising activist criticism to their confinement.

During her tenure at the park, multiple belugas and the park’s single killer whale, the orca, passed away. In total, nineteen belugas have perished at the park since recent years, a number which the park links to expected lifespan, but which activists say points to the substandard environment in which they were kept.

The park did not open to the guests over the summer, but Burgess says she saw with her own eyes effects of the closure. “Concrete is falling apart from the tanks because they’re in disrepair and not being maintained. The whales are curious and so they pick it up and move about with chunks in their mouth. It’s upsetting to see.”

The facility did not reply to a inquiry, but earlier stated: “The whales … obtain far higher quality health care and around the clock supervision than any human in the United Kingdom, or elsewhere.”

Uncertain Future and Potential Resolutions

The former employee was terminated from the park in early March following the death of Eos, an ailing beluga the park staff had to put down. She said the facility believed particulars of the death were shared to the news outlets and she was released not long after.

The ambiguity over the whales’ future has left Burgess and current and former trainers in distress. She says the park’s warning to euthanize its whales is a bargaining chip and is a “practically unfeasible” task, adding any plans to euthanize even a individual beluga would require “significant staff”, equipment and heavy equipment.

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

Burgess supports calls for the whales to be transferred right away from the park, with its crumbling tanks and dwindling staff.

In late September, the nation’s fisheries minister turned down a bid to transfer the whales to China.

“Granting the request would have meant a continued life in confinement and a return to performance for audiences,” the minister wrote. “As society, we know that belugas should be in the wild, not in enclosures for our enjoyment. I could not in good conscience approve an transfer that would perpetuate the conditions these belugas have endured.”

But Burgess said the official’s remarks indicate a more general misunderstanding of the facts of living conditions for belugas born in captivity.

“The people needs to realize these are whales that have lived entirely 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 straightforward as saying ‘shut it down’.”

Alternative Habitat and Continuing Discussion

As officials attempt to find a resolution, suggestions have emerged, 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 primary resource of nourishment for Indigenous peoples.

A proposed sanctuary in the region of Nova Scotia, which recently received official endorsement, has been contentious. The planned site, which includes extensive space of penned in ocean, remains undeveloped. Supporters remain optimistic that it could eventually represent a long term solution for eight of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among trainers she’s spoken with, there is “doubts there” about what she said is “merely an untested concept” in the whales’ fate.

Some experts say the idea of a sanctuary represents a broader global shift away from captive facilities and could represent a viable plan in the short term.

An official, director of the initiative, said the location will simulate the cognitive activities and diet the whales get from caretakers, albeit in a more expansive space. He said after the well-being of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|