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Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie is an cute small “playful character”. Orion – called “Onion Ring” – is a large but fiercely protective friend. Another whale, Zephyr has “endless energy” and sways like a worm. Lillooet the beluga is the “loving presence” with a heart of gold.

Thirty enclosed beluga whales in a Canada-based entertainment facility have become pawns in a tussle between a defunct facility, public officials and animal rights activists.

But those working directly with the whales say the heated discussion over their destiny often overlooks the complexities of the whales who, after living their entire lives in captivity, have been thoroughly researched by the caretakers who see them each day.

After the Canadian government blocked the sale of the belugas to China, the struggling attraction near Niagara Falls where they are held threatened to euthanize them unless the federal government covers the upkeep of their survival. The nation’s marine resources official has rejected that ultimatum, placing the 30 whales in an increasingly precarious circumstance.

Highly Cognitive Sea Creatures

Scientists say that belugas’ neuroanatomy, along with their mimicry abilities, problem solving and social skills indicate they are highly cognitive mammals – something Kristy Burgess learned directly.

She spent three years as a beluga trainer, a role that required gaining confidence of the aquatic animals.

“Establishing those bonds over time takes a lot of consistency and a lot of love. At the start, they’re very wary of you,” she said. “In time, you gain shared confidence. And they start being more trusting with you. It’s just so magical and gratifying.”

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 contrasting temperaments.

“One whale accepted me. Cleo demanded work,” she said. “Both transformed the way I perceive connection.”

Public Concerns and Facility Decline

Burgess’s interaction with the whales progressed against a context of rising activist criticism to their captivity.

During her tenure at the attraction, seven belugas and the park’s one killer whale, the orca, succumbed. In total, nineteen belugas have died at the park since recent years, a number which the park links to age-related causes, but which campaigners say indicates the substandard environment in which they were kept.

The park did not admit visitors to the guests over the summer, but Burgess says she saw with her own eyes consequences of the cessation. “Structural materials is deteriorating from the pools because they’re degrading and not being maintained. The whales are inquisitive and so they pick it up and move about with chunks in their mouth. It’s heartbreaking to see.”

The facility did not reply to a request for comment, but earlier asserted: “The whales … obtain far higher quality veterinary services and constant care than any person in the Britain, or elsewhere.”

Uncertain Future and Proposed Solutions

Burgess was dismissed from the facility in recent months following the death of Eos, an ailing beluga the park staff had to put down. She said the park suspected information of the incident were shared to the media and she was fired not long after.

The uncertainty over the whales’ fate has left Burgess and current and former trainers in anguish. She says the facility’s threat to kill its whales is a bargaining chip and is a “practically unfeasible” endeavor, adding any attempts to put down even a single beluga would require “significant staff”, trucks and heavy equipment.

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

She supports requests for the whales to be removed promptly from the park, with its deteriorating pools and shrinking team.

In the autumn, Canada’s government official denied a proposal to export the whales to China.

“To approve the application would have meant a perpetual life in captivity and a reversion to performance for audiences,” the minister commented. “As Canadians, we know that marine mammals belong in the sea, not in tanks for our entertainment. I could not in clear conscience approve an relocation that would perpetuate the situation these belugas have endured.”

But the former trainer said the official’s comments reveal a broader lack of awareness of the facts of living conditions for belugas born in captivity.

“The people needs to realize these are whales that have existed solely in confinement and they will need human care for the rest of their years,” she said. “People just don’t comprehend that it’s not as easy as saying ‘shut it down’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Ongoing Debate

As officials work to find a resolution, proposals have emerged, some of which have questionable practicality. A suggested plan called for the belugas to be let go into the wilds of Canada’s north – where whales are a primary resource of food for local populations.

A suggested sanctuary in the region of Nova Scotia, which has received official endorsement, has shown to be highly debated. The prospective site, which includes a large area of penned in ocean, doesn’t yet exist. Advocates remain optimistic that it could in time represent a sustainable solution for some of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among trainers she’s consulted, there is “doubts there” about what she said is “only an untested concept” in the whales’ future.

Others say the possibility of a protected habitat reflects a broader global shift away from zoos and aquariums and could represent a workable approach in the short term.

Charles Vinick, leader of the sanctuary project, said the site will simulate the mental engagement and nutrition the whales get from specialists, albeit in a much larger space. He said after the well-being of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|