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Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie is an charming little “playful character”. Orion – nicknamed “Onion” – is a large but fiercely protective friend. Zephyr has “constant motion” and moves like a wiggly creature. Lillooet the beluga is the “most affectionate” with a kind nature.

Thirty enclosed beluga whales in a Canadian entertainment facility have been caught in a tussle between a defunct facility, local and national governments and advocacy groups.

But those closest to the whales say the heated discussion over their destiny often fails to consider the individual traits of the whales who, after growing up in captivity, have been carefully observed by the humans who interact with them daily.

After the Canadian government blocked the transfer of the belugas to a foreign facility, the controversial amusement park near the famous falls where they are housed stated it would consider to put them down unless the authorities funds the expense of their survival. Canada’s marine resources official has denied that request, placing the thirty whales in an dangerously unstable situation.

Highly Cognitive Marine Mammals

Researchers say that beluga whales’ neuroanatomy, along with their mimicry abilities, intellectual tasks and communal behavior suggest they are highly cognitive animals – something a former trainer learned first-hand.

She spent three years as a marine mammal specialist, a position that involved building relationships of the marine predators.

“Developing those bonds over time takes a lot of dedication and a lot of love. At the outset, they’re very cautious of you,” she said. “Eventually, you gain mutual trust. And they start being more vulnerable with you. It’s just so wonderful and fulfilling.”

Burgess knew the whales were exceptionally cognitive, but she says she was nevertheless astounded by the subtleties and quirks in their personalities. She developed a particular love for Eve and Cleopatra with contrasting personalities.

“Eve selected me. Cleo made me earn it,” she said. “They altered the way I understand connection.”

Public Concerns and Deteriorating Conditions

Burgess’s relationship with the whales progressed against a context of growing public opposition to their confinement.

During her time at the attraction, multiple belugas and the park’s one orca, Kiska, died. In total, nineteen belugas have perished at the park since recent years, a toll which the park attributes to age-related causes, but which advocates say indicates the poor conditions in which they were housed.

The park did not open to the visitors over the summer, but Burgess says she saw with her own eyes effects of the cessation. “Structural materials is falling apart from the enclosures because they’re in disrepair and not being fixed. The whales are inquisitive and so they grab fragments and move about with pieces in their jaws. It’s heartbreaking to see.”

The park did not respond to a request for comment, but previously asserted: “The whales … get far superior health care and around the clock supervision than any person in the Britain, or elsewhere.”

Uncertain Future and Proposed Solutions

The former employee was terminated from the facility in recent months following the death of a beluga, an ailing beluga the employees had to put down. She said the park thought information of the incident were leaked to the news outlets and she was fired soon after.

The ambiguity over the whales’ outcome has left Burgess and current and former trainers in despair. She says the park’s warning to euthanize its whales is a leverage tool and is a “practically unfeasible” undertaking, adding any efforts to humanely kill even a one beluga would require “considerable personnel”, equipment and specialized tools.

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

Burgess backs calls for the whales to be removed promptly from the park, with its deteriorating pools and shrinking team.

In late September, the nation’s government official turned down a proposal to send the whales to China.

“Granting the application would have meant a ongoing existence in captivity and a reversion to display for amusement,” the minister commented. “As society, we know that whales should be in the wild, not in enclosures for our enjoyment. I could not in ethical standing approve an transfer that would prolong the conditions these belugas have suffered.”

But the former trainer said the minister’s statements reveal a more general incorrect perception of the realities of existence for belugas born in captivity.

“The people needs to realize these are whales that have lived entirely in enclosed habitats and they will need constant supervision for the rest of their years,” she said. “People just don’t comprehend that it’s not as simple as saying ‘end operations’.”

Alternative Habitat and Continuing Discussion

As authorities attempt to find a resolution, proposals have been put forward, some of which have minimal feasibility. One proposal called for the belugas to be let go into the wilds of the Arctic – where whales are a key source of nourishment for Indigenous peoples.

A planned sanctuary in the province of eastern Canada, which now received government approval, has shown to be contentious. The planned location, which includes a large area of penned in ocean, remains undeveloped. Supporters remain hopeful that it could ultimately represent a sustainable resolution for eight of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among staff she’s spoken with, there is “doubts there” about what she said is “merely an experiment” in the whales’ fate.

Others say the prospect of a protected habitat represents a changing attitudes away from zoos and aquariums and could represent a viable plan in the coming months.

An official, head of the sanctuary project, said the site will mimic the cognitive activities and diet the whales obtain from caretakers, albeit in a much larger space. He said after the well-being of whales is completely examined, which could take months|an extended period|