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Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie is an charming small “sweetheart”. The whale Orion – called “Onion Ring” – is a sizeable but fiercely protective friend. Zephyr has “endless energy” and sways like a worm. Lillooet the beluga is the “loving presence” with a gentle spirit.

Thirty enclosed marine mammals in a Canada-based entertainment facility have been caught in a struggle between a shuttered park, government authorities and welfare campaigners.

But those working directly with the whales say the intense debate over their destiny often ignores the complexities of the whales who, after living their entire lives in confinement, have been closely studied by the humans who interact with them daily.

After the federal government prevented the transfer of the belugas to a foreign facility, the embattled attraction near the famous falls where they are kept stated it would consider to put them down unless the government covers the expense of their care. The nation’s fisheries minister has denied that demand, placing the 30 whales in an ever more uncertain position.

Highly Cognitive Sea Creatures

Scientists say that beluga whales’ brain structure, along with their mimicry abilities, problem solving and group interactions point to they are highly cognitive creatures – something a former trainer observed directly.

She spent three years as a beluga trainer, a job that entailed gaining confidence of the marine predators.

“Developing those relationships over time takes a lot of dedication and a lot of affection. At the outset, they’re very wary of you,” she said. “In time, you gain reciprocal understanding. 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 astounded by the nuances and idiosyncrasies in their dispositions. She cultivated a special affection for two female belugas with different personalities.

“Eve selected me. The other required effort,” she said. “They changed the way I view bonding.”

Growing Opposition and Deteriorating Conditions

Her connection with the whales developed against a context of growing public opposition to their enclosure.

During her three years at the attraction, seven belugas and the park’s single orca, Kiska, died. In all, 19 belugas have died at the park since recent years, a statistic which the facility attributes to natural mortality, but which activists say indicates the substandard environment in which they were housed.

The facility did not open to the public over the summer, but Burgess says she saw with her own eyes consequences of the closure. “Concrete is falling apart from the tanks because they’re in disrepair and not being maintained. The whales are inquisitive and so they grab fragments and swim around with fragments in their jaws. It’s heartbreaking to see.”

The park did not respond to a questionnaire, but in the past asserted: “The whales … obtain far higher quality medical attention and 24/7 care than any person in the Britain, or anywhere else.”

Fate in Limbo and Potential Resolutions

The former employee was dismissed from the facility in recent months following the death of a beluga, an unwell beluga the caretakers had to euthanize. She said the facility suspected information of the death were shared to the news outlets and she was let go not long after.

The ambiguity over the whales’ outcome has left her and staff members in distress. She says the facility’s threat to euthanize its whales is a bargaining chip and is a “logistically impossible” undertaking, adding any efforts to humanely kill even a single beluga would require “considerable staff”, vehicles and heavy equipment.

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

Burgess advocates for calls for the whales to be transferred promptly from the park, with its deteriorating pools and reduced personnel.

In the autumn, Canada’s fisheries minister rejected a request to transfer the whales to China.

“Allowing the application would have meant a perpetual existence in confinement and a reversion to display for amusement,” the minister stated. “As Canadians, we know that whales should be in the ocean, not in tanks for our amusement. I could not in ethical standing authorize an relocation that would continue the treatment these belugas have endured.”

But Burgess said the official’s statements reflect a wider incorrect perception of the facts of existence for belugas living their whole lives in enclosures.

“The people needs to grasp these are whales that have existed solely in confinement and they will need constant supervision for the foreseeable future,” she said. “The public just don’t comprehend that it’s not as simple as saying ‘close it down’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Continuing Discussion

As decision makers work to find a resolution, ideas have surfaced, some of which have minimal feasibility. An idea called for the belugas to be freed into the wilds of the Arctic – where whales are a key source of food for Indigenous peoples.

A suggested sanctuary in the region of Nova Scotia, which now received official endorsement, has shown to be contentious. The planned location, which includes extensive space of enclosed sea water, remains undeveloped. Advocates remain positive that it could in time represent a long term answer for some of the whales.

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

Others say the possibility of a protected habitat indicates a worldwide trend away from zoos and aquariums and could represent a feasible solution in the coming months.

Charles Vinick, director of the initiative, said the site will mimic the cognitive activities and diet the whales obtain from specialists, albeit in a much larger area. He said after the well-being of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|