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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie is an cute little “sweetheart”. Orion – called “Onion Ring” – is a sizeable but very loyal companion. Another whale, Zephyr has “constant motion” and sways like a wiggly creature. Lillooet the beluga is the “most affectionate” with a kind nature.

A group of thirty captive marine mammals in a Canadian entertainment facility have become pawns in a struggle between a closed attraction, public officials and animal rights activists.

But those working directly with the whales say the heated debate over their fate often ignores the nuances of the whales who, after growing up in captivity, have been carefully observed by the caretakers who interact with them daily.

After the national authorities prevented the sale of the belugas to China, the embattled amusement park near the famous falls where they are held stated it would consider to put them down unless the authorities funds the expense of keeping them alive. Canada’s marine resources official has denied that ultimatum, placing the 30 whales in an dangerously unstable circumstance.

Intelligent Marine Mammals

Scientists say that belugas’ neuroanatomy, along with their vocal imitation skills, problem solving and communal behavior suggest they are deeply intelligent creatures – something a former trainer observed first-hand.

She spent three years as a beluga trainer, a position that required gaining confidence 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. “Eventually, you gain reciprocal understanding. 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 astounded by the subtleties and quirks in their dispositions. She cultivated a special affection for Eve and Cleopatra with opposing personalities.

“One whale selected me. Cleo demanded work,” she said. “Both altered the way I perceive bonding.”

Growing Opposition and Deteriorating Conditions

Burgess’s connection with the whales developed against a backdrop of rising activist criticism to their enclosure.

During her tenure at the park, multiple belugas and the park’s single killer whale, Kiska, succumbed. In total, nineteen belugas have perished at the park since recent years, a toll which the park links to expected lifespan, but which activists say reflects the substandard environment in which they were housed.

The park did not open to the public over the summer, but the former trainer says she saw with her own eyes consequences of the cessation. “Structural materials is deteriorating from the enclosures because they’re degrading and not being repaired. The whales are exploratory and so they take pieces and navigate with pieces in their mouth. It’s distressing to see.”

The facility did not reply to a questionnaire, but previously claimed: “The whales … get far superior health care and constant attention than any human in the UK, or elsewhere.”

Fate in Limbo and Proposed Solutions

The former employee was dismissed from the facility in the spring following the demise of a beluga, an unwell beluga the caretakers had to put down. She said the park suspected details of the incident were leaked to the press and she was released not long after.

The uncertainty over the whales’ fate has left Burgess and other caretakers in anguish. She says the facility’s ultimatum to kill its whales is a bargaining chip and is a “extremely difficult” task, adding any attempts to humanely kill even a one beluga would require “significant personnel”, equipment and heavy equipment.

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

Burgess backs demands for the whales to be taken promptly from the facility, with its deteriorating pools and shrinking team.

In recent months, the nation’s fisheries minister turned down a request to send the whales to China.

“Allowing the proposal would have meant a ongoing situation in captivity and a reversion to display for amusement,” the minister stated. “As society, we know that whales should be in the ocean, not in tanks for our entertainment. I could not in good conscience approve an transfer that would perpetuate the conditions these belugas have experienced.”

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

“The people needs to grasp these are whales that have existed solely in enclosed habitats and they will need human care for the remainder of their lives,” she said. “Many just don’t realize that it’s not as easy as saying ‘shut it down’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Ongoing Debate

As decision makers struggle to find a answer, proposals have surfaced, some of which have questionable practicality. An idea called for the belugas to be let go into the natural habitat of Canada’s north – where whales are a key source of food for Indigenous peoples.

A proposed protected area in the region of eastern Canada, which has received official endorsement, has proven contentious. The prospective location, which includes 100 acres of protected cove, remains undeveloped. Advocates remain positive that it could eventually represent a long term resolution for some of the whales.

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

Different voices say the idea of a protected habitat represents a changing attitudes away from captive facilities and could represent a viable approach in the short term.

An official, leader of the plan, said the facility will replicate the cognitive activities and nutrition the whales obtain from caretakers, albeit in a more expansive space. He said after the medical condition of whales is fully assessed, which could take months|an extended period|