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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie is an charming little “playful character”. The whale Orion – called “Onion” – is a big but guardian-like friend. Zephyr has “constant motion” and sways like a worm. Lillooet the beluga is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a gentle spirit.

Thirty captive beluga whales in a Canada-based entertainment facility have been caught in a disagreement between a closed attraction, government authorities and animal rights activists.

But those closest to the whales say the intense controversy over their destiny often ignores the nuances of the whales who, after spending their lives in confinement, have been closely studied by the humans who see them each day.

After the federal government prevented the sale of the belugas to a foreign facility, the embattled attraction near the famous falls where they are held stated it would consider to end their lives unless the federal government funds the cost of their survival. The nation’s marine resources official has refused that demand, placing the 30 whales in an increasingly precarious situation.

Intelligent Sea Creatures

Scientists say that beluga whales’ neural makeup, along with their sound replication, intellectual tasks and communal behavior suggest they are highly cognitive animals – something a former trainer learned directly.

She spent three years as a beluga trainer, a job that involved earning the trust of the marine predators.

“Developing those connections over time takes a lot of consistency and a lot of care. At the outset, they’re very unsure of you,” she said. “Eventually, you gain shared confidence. And they start being more open with you. It’s just so magical and rewarding.”

Burgess knew the whales were exceptionally cognitive, but she says she was even so surprised by the nuances and unique traits in their dispositions. She developed a deep bond for a pair of whales with contrasting temperaments.

“Eve selected me. Cleo required effort,” she said. “They changed the way I understand bonding.”

Public Concerns and Facility Decline

Her connection with the whales evolved against a background of growing public opposition to their captivity.

During her three years at the attraction, seven belugas and the park’s one orca, the orca, passed away. In all, 19 belugas have died at the park since recent years, a number which the facility links to age-related causes, but which campaigners say reflects the poor conditions in which they were housed.

The park did not open to the visitors over the recent season, but the former trainer says she observed directly consequences of the cessation. “Concrete is deteriorating from the pools because they’re in disrepair and not being repaired. The whales are curious and so they take pieces and move about with chunks in their jaws. It’s upsetting to see.”

The park did not respond to a request for comment, but earlier stated: “The whales … receive far higher quality veterinary services and 24/7 care than any person in the Britain, or elsewhere.”

Fate in Limbo and Potential Resolutions

The former employee was fired from the facility in early March following the passing of a beluga, an sick beluga the caretakers had to put down. She said the park believed details of the death were shared to the news outlets and she was fired soon after.

The lack of clarity over the whales’ outcome has left Burgess and staff members in despair. She says the facility’s warning to end the lives of its whales is a leverage tool and is a “logistically impossible” endeavor, adding any attempts to euthanize even a single beluga would require “considerable staff”, equipment and specialized tools.

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

She advocates for requests for the whales to be transferred promptly from the park, with its failing enclosures and reduced personnel.

In the autumn, Canada’s government official turned down a request to transfer the whales to China.

“To approve the proposal would have meant a ongoing life in confinement and a return to display for amusement,” the minister stated. “As society, we know that marine mammals are meant for the sea, not in pools for our entertainment. I could not in good conscience approve an export that would prolong the treatment these belugas have experienced.”

But Burgess said the official’s statements reveal a broader lack of awareness of the circumstances of living conditions for belugas living their whole lives in enclosures.

“The people needs to understand these are whales that have existed solely in captivity and they will need ongoing assistance for the foreseeable future,” she said. “Many just don’t realize that it’s not as straightforward as saying ‘shut it down’.”

Alternative Habitat and Ongoing Debate

As authorities struggle to find a resolution, proposals have surfaced, some of which have little basis in reality. A suggested plan called for the belugas to be released into the wilds of Canada’s north – where whales are a important part of nourishment for Inuit communities.

A planned sanctuary in the region of Nova Scotia, which recently received official endorsement, has been most controversial. The planned location, which includes a large area of penned in ocean, is not yet built. Supporters remain hopeful that it could ultimately represent a long term resolution for eight of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among trainers she’s spoken with, there is “skepticism there” about what she said is “simply an trial” in the whales’ future.

Others say the prospect of a protected habitat reflects a changing attitudes away from captive facilities and could represent a feasible plan in the near future.

Charles Vinick, leader of the plan, said the site will simulate the intellectual stimulation and feeding regimen the whales receive from specialists, albeit in a more expansive space. He said after the well-being of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|