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Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie Botts is an charming little “ham sandwich”. The whale Orion – nicknamed “Onion” – is a big but fiercely protective friend. Another whale, Zephyr has “endless energy” and wiggles like a worm. Lillooet is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a kind nature.

A group of thirty captive marine mammals in a Canada-based entertainment facility have become pawns in a tussle between a closed attraction, public officials and advocacy groups.

But those most familiar with the whales say the impassioned controversy over their fate often ignores the nuances of the whales who, after spending their lives in confinement, have been thoroughly researched by the people who interact with them daily.

After the federal government blocked the export of the belugas to a foreign facility, the controversial facility near the famous falls where they are kept stated it would consider to euthanize them unless the federal government funds the expense of keeping them alive. The nation’s marine resources official has denied that demand, placing the 30 whales in an ever more uncertain situation.

Highly Cognitive Marine Mammals

Experts say that beluga whales’ brain structure, along with their vocal imitation skills, cognitive challenges and group interactions suggest they are deeply intelligent creatures – something one caretaker discovered personally.

She spent several years as a marine mammal specialist, a role that involved earning the trust of the marine predators.

“Building up those relationships over time takes a lot of consistency and a lot of affection. At the outset, they’re very cautious of you,” she said. “Over time, you gain mutual trust. And they start being more open with you. It’s just so extraordinary and rewarding.”

The trainer knew the whales were highly intelligent, but she says she was nonetheless amazed by the details and unique traits in their characters. She formed a particular love for a pair of whales with different natures.

“Eve chose me. Cleo required effort,” she said. “They changed the way I understand relationships.”

Growing Opposition and Facility Decline

Her relationship with the whales evolved against a context of growing public opposition to their enclosure.

During her tenure at the facility, seven belugas and the park’s one killer whale, Kiska, succumbed. In total, nineteen belugas have perished at the park since recent years, a number which the park attributes to natural mortality, but which activists say indicates the inadequate care in which they were maintained.

The park did not open to the visitors over the recent season, but Burgess says she saw with her own eyes results of the closure. “Concrete is falling apart from the enclosures because they’re in disrepair and not being maintained. The whales are inquisitive and so they pick it up and navigate with fragments in their mouth. It’s heartbreaking to see.”

The facility did not reply to a questionnaire, but earlier asserted: “The whales … obtain far higher quality veterinary services and 24/7 care than any person in the Britain, or anywhere else.”

Fate in Limbo and Potential Resolutions

Burgess was fired from the facility in early March following the demise of a beluga, an sick beluga the park staff had to humanely kill. She said the park believed particulars of the death were leaked to the media and she was fired shortly thereafter.

The uncertainty over the whales’ fate has left her and current and former trainers in anguish. She says the park’s ultimatum to end the lives of its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “extremely difficult” endeavor, adding any plans to put down even a one beluga would require “significant staff”, vehicles and machinery.

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

Burgess advocates for calls for the whales to be removed promptly from the park, with its failing enclosures and shrinking team.

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

“Granting the application would have meant a ongoing life in confinement and a reversion to public entertainment,” the official commented. “As society, we know that belugas should be in the ocean, not in enclosures for our entertainment. I could not in clear conscience authorize an export that would perpetuate the situation these belugas have endured.”

But Burgess said the official’s remarks indicate a broader incorrect perception of the circumstances of existence for belugas born in captivity.

“The society needs to realize these are whales that have lived entirely in confinement and they will need human care for the foreseeable future,” she said. “People just don’t understand that it’s not as easy as saying ‘close it down’.”

Alternative Habitat and Continuing Discussion

As authorities work to find a solution, proposals have been put forward, some of which have little basis in reality. A suggested plan called for the belugas to be freed into the wilds of the Arctic – where whales are a key source of food for local populations.

A proposed refuge in the province of eastern Canada, which now received official endorsement, has proven contentious. The planned site, which includes extensive space of enclosed sea water, is not yet built. Proponents remain optimistic that it could in time represent a permanent solution for some of the whales.

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

Different voices say the prospect of a protected habitat reflects a changing attitudes away from animal displays and could represent a workable approach in the short term.

Charles Vinick, leader of the plan, said the facility will mimic the intellectual stimulation and diet the whales receive from caretakers, albeit in a more expansive environment. He said after the health of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|