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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie Botts is an adorable small “playful character”. Orion – nicknamed “Onion” – is a large but guardian-like companion. Another whale, Zephyr has “constant motion” and sways like a wiggly creature. Lillooet is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a heart of gold.

A group of thirty captive marine mammals in a Canada-based entertainment facility have been caught in a disagreement between a shuttered park, local and national governments and animal rights activists.

But those working directly with the whales say the impassioned discussion over their fate often overlooks the nuances of the whales who, after spending their lives in enclosed habitats, have been thoroughly researched by the caretakers who work with them regularly.

After the Canadian government blocked the transfer of the belugas to China, the struggling amusement park near the famous falls where they are housed stated it would consider to euthanize them unless the federal government funds the upkeep of their survival. Canada’s fisheries minister has denied that demand, placing the thirty whales in an dangerously unstable situation.

Highly Cognitive Sea Creatures

Experts say that beluga whales’ brain structure, along with their sound replication, cognitive challenges and communal behavior suggest they are deeply intelligent mammals – something a former trainer discovered directly.

Burgess spent a significant period as a whale caretaker, a role that entailed earning the trust of the sea creatures.

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

The trainer knew the whales were very smart, but she says she was nevertheless surprised by the details and unique traits in their dispositions. She cultivated a deep bond for Eve and Cleopatra with opposing natures.

“One whale chose me. Cleo demanded work,” she said. “They changed the way I perceive bonding.”

Growing Opposition and Deteriorating Conditions

Burgess’s connection with the whales evolved against a backdrop of growing public opposition to their enclosure.

During her tenure at the park, multiple belugas and the park’s one orca, Kiska, succumbed. In total, nineteen belugas have perished at the park since recent years, a statistic which the facility ascribes to expected lifespan, but which activists say reflects the substandard environment in which they were housed.

The facility did not operate to the public over the summer, but the former trainer says she saw with her own eyes effects of the shutdown. “Concrete is deteriorating from the pools because they’re degrading and not being maintained. The whales are exploratory and so they grab fragments and swim around with pieces in their mouth. It’s distressing to see.”

The facility did not comment to a inquiry, but previously claimed: “The whales … obtain far better veterinary services and 24/7 supervision than any person in the United Kingdom, or elsewhere.”

Fate in Limbo and Proposed Solutions

Burgess was dismissed from the park in early March following the death of a beluga, an sick beluga the caretakers had to put down. She said the park suspected information of the incident were shared to the news outlets and she was fired not long after.

The lack of clarity over the whales’ outcome has left Burgess and other caretakers in distress. She says the park’s threat to end the lives of its whales is a leverage tool and is a “extremely difficult” undertaking, adding any plans to humanely kill even a one beluga would require “considerable personnel”, vehicles and heavy equipment.

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

She advocates for requests for the whales to be taken right away from the facility, with its failing enclosures and reduced personnel.

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

“To approve the request would have meant a perpetual situation in confinement and a return to display for amusement,” the official commented. “As society, we know that marine mammals belong in the wild, not in enclosures for our enjoyment. I could not in good conscience authorize an transfer that would perpetuate the situation these belugas have experienced.”

But the former trainer said the official’s comments reflect a broader incorrect perception of the realities of living conditions for belugas raised in confinement.

“The society needs to realize these are whales that have existed solely in confinement and they will need ongoing assistance for the rest of their years,” she said. “Many just don’t realize that it’s not as straightforward as saying ‘close it down’.”

Alternative Habitat and Ongoing Debate

As decision makers attempt to find a resolution, ideas have emerged, some of which have little basis in reality. A suggested plan called for the belugas to be freed into the open waters of northern regions – where whales are a key source of sustenance for local populations.

A suggested sanctuary in the province of eastern Canada, which now received regulatory clearance, has proven highly debated. The prospective site, which includes extensive space of enclosed sea water, doesn’t yet exist. Supporters remain optimistic that it could ultimately represent a long term resolution for a number of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among staff she’s spoken with, there is “skepticism there” about what she said is “simply an experiment” in the whales’ fate.

Some experts say the possibility of a refuge indicates a worldwide trend away from captive facilities and could represent a viable solution in the near future.

An official, leader of the initiative, said the location will mimic the cognitive activities and nutrition the whales obtain from trainers, albeit in a significantly bigger environment. He said after the health of whales is fully assessed, which could take months|an extended period|