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Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie is an adorable little “sweetheart”. Orion – nicknamed “Onion” – is a big but very loyal friend. Another whale, Zephyr has “constant motion” and sways like a worm. Lillooet the beluga is the “most affectionate” with a gentle spirit.

A group of thirty captive marine mammals in a Canadian entertainment facility have become pawns in a tussle between a defunct facility, public officials and welfare campaigners.

But those most familiar with the whales say the heated debate over their destiny often ignores the complexities of the whales who, after growing up in enclosed habitats, have been thoroughly researched by the people who interact with them daily.

After the national authorities disallowed the sale of the belugas to China, the controversial attraction near the famous falls where they are held threatened to put them down unless the authorities pays for the expense of their care. The nation’s fisheries minister has denied that ultimatum, placing the thirty whales in an ever more uncertain circumstance.

Highly Cognitive Sea Creatures

Scientists say that belugas’ brain structure, along with their mimicry abilities, cognitive challenges and group interactions point to they are remarkably smart animals – something a former trainer observed personally.

Burgess spent several years as a whale caretaker, a job that required gaining confidence of the aquatic animals.

“Building up those bonds over time takes a lot of consistency and a lot of care. At the beginning, they’re very unsure of you,” she said. “In time, you gain shared confidence. And they start being more trusting with you. It’s just so wonderful and gratifying.”

Burgess knew the whales were exceptionally cognitive, but she says she was even so surprised by the details and quirks in their personalities. She developed a special affection for Eve and Cleopatra with contrasting personalities.

“One whale selected me. Cleo made me earn it,” she said. “They altered the way I understand bonding.”

Growing Opposition and Deteriorating Conditions

Burgess’s interaction with the whales evolved against a backdrop of increasing societal concern to their confinement.

During her tenure at the park, seven belugas and the park’s one killer whale, the orca, succumbed. In all, 19 belugas have perished at the park since recent years, a toll which the facility attributes to age-related causes, but which activists say indicates the substandard environment in which they were housed.

The park did not operate to the guests over the recent season, but the former trainer says she saw with her own eyes consequences of the closure. “Structural materials is falling apart from the pools because they’re falling apart and not being fixed. The whales are inquisitive and so they take pieces and navigate with fragments in their jaws. It’s upsetting to see.”

The facility did not respond to a questionnaire, but previously stated: “The whales … obtain far superior medical attention and around the clock care than any individual in the United Kingdom, or elsewhere.”

Uncertain Future and Proposed Solutions

The former employee was fired from the park in the spring following the demise of a beluga, an ailing beluga the park staff had to put down. She said the park believed information of the incident were disclosed to the media and she was let go shortly thereafter.

The lack of clarity over the whales’ fate has left her and staff members in anguish. She says the facility’s ultimatum to kill its whales is a bargaining chip and is a “practically unfeasible” endeavor, adding any plans to euthanize even a single beluga would require “considerable manpower”, vehicles and specialized tools.

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

Burgess advocates for requests for the whales to be removed promptly from the facility, with its crumbling tanks and shrinking team.

In the autumn, Canada’s government official rejected a request to send the whales to China.

“Granting the application would have meant a continued life in enclosure and a return to performance for audiences,” the official commented. “As Canadians, we know that whales are meant for the wild, not in pools for our amusement. I could not in good conscience approve an export that would perpetuate the treatment these belugas have endured.”

But the former trainer said the minister’s remarks indicate a more general lack of awareness of the circumstances of life for belugas born in captivity.

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

Sanctuary Proposal and Continuing Discussion

As authorities attempt to find a solution, proposals have emerged, some of which have questionable practicality. One proposal called for the belugas to be freed into the wilds of Canada’s north – where whales are a important part of sustenance for local populations.

A suggested sanctuary in the region of eastern Canada, which recently received official endorsement, has shown to be highly debated. The planned location, which includes a large area of protected cove, doesn’t yet exist. Advocates remain optimistic that it could in time represent a long term answer for eight of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among staff she’s consulted, there is “skepticism there” about what she said is “simply an experiment” in the whales’ well-being.

Others say the idea of a sanctuary indicates a broader global shift away from captive facilities and could represent a feasible solution in the short term.

Charles Vinick, director of the sanctuary project, said the site will mimic the mental engagement and feeding regimen the whales receive from specialists, albeit in a much larger area. He said after the health of whales is fully assessed, which could take months|an extended period|