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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie is an cute small “sweetheart”. The whale Orion – nicknamed “Onion” – is a large but fiercely protective companion. Another whale, Zephyr has “endless energy” and sways like a wiggly creature. Lillooet is the “most affectionate” with a gentle spirit.

Thirty enclosed beluga whales in a Canada-based entertainment facility have been caught in a disagreement between a closed attraction, local and national governments and welfare campaigners.

But those working directly with the whales say the impassioned discussion over their future often ignores the individual traits of the whales who, after spending their lives in enclosed habitats, have been thoroughly researched by the caretakers who interact with them daily.

After the Canadian government disallowed the export of the belugas to China, the struggling amusement park near the famous falls where they are held threatened to euthanize them unless the government covers the upkeep of their survival. The nation’s fisheries minister has denied that ultimatum, placing the 30 whales in an dangerously unstable situation.

Intelligent Marine Mammals

Experts say that beluga whales’ brain structure, along with their mimicry abilities, cognitive challenges and group interactions point to they are deeply intelligent animals – something Kristy Burgess observed personally.

Burgess spent a significant period as a beluga trainer, a role that entailed gaining confidence of the aquatic animals.

“Establishing those connections over time takes a lot of dedication and a lot of care. At the beginning, they’re very unsure of you,” she said. “Over time, you gain shared confidence. And they start being more open with you. It’s just so wonderful and rewarding.”

The trainer knew the whales were exceptionally cognitive, but she says she was nonetheless amazed by the subtleties and quirks in their personalities. She formed a particular love for Eve and Cleopatra with opposing natures.

“One whale chose me. Cleo required effort,” she said. “They changed the way I understand connection.”

Public Concerns and Facility Decline

Her connection with the whales developed against a context of rising activist criticism to their confinement.

During her three years at the park, multiple belugas and the park’s one killer whale, Kiska, died. In all, 19 belugas have died at the park since recent years, a statistic which the park attributes to expected lifespan, but which campaigners say indicates the substandard environment in which they were housed.

The park did not open to the public over the recent season, but Burgess says she witnessed firsthand consequences of the shutdown. “Structural materials is deteriorating from the enclosures because they’re in disrepair and not being maintained. The whales are inquisitive and so they take pieces and move about with fragments in their jaws. It’s distressing to see.”

The park did not reply to a inquiry, but earlier asserted: “The whales … receive far superior medical attention and 24/7 attention than any human in the Britain, or elsewhere.”

Fate in Limbo and Potential Resolutions

The former employee was dismissed from the park in recent months following the demise of Eos, an ailing beluga the caretakers had to euthanize. She said the park believed information of the death were leaked to the press and she was released not long after.

The lack of clarity over the whales’ outcome has left Burgess and other caretakers in distress. She says the park’s threat to end the lives of its whales is a bargaining chip and is a “practically unfeasible” endeavor, adding any plans to humanely kill even a individual beluga would require “immense personnel”, equipment and heavy equipment.

“It’s impossible in hell the caretakers would ever do it,” she said.

Burgess supports calls for the whales to be removed promptly from the park, with its crumbling tanks and dwindling staff.

In recent months, the nation’s fisheries minister turned down a proposal to transfer the whales to China.

“Granting the request would have meant a continued life in enclosure and a reversion to performance for audiences,” the official commented. “As Canadians, we know that marine mammals should be in the wild, not in tanks for our entertainment. I could not in clear conscience permit an relocation that would perpetuate the conditions these belugas have suffered.”

But the former trainer said the minister’s remarks indicate a wider lack of awareness of the facts of living conditions for belugas raised in confinement.

“The public needs to grasp these are whales that have existed solely in captivity and they will need constant supervision for the remainder of their lives,” she said. “People just don’t understand that it’s not as straightforward as saying ‘shut it down’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Continuing Discussion

As officials struggle to find a solution, ideas have surfaced, some of which have questionable practicality. A suggested plan called for the belugas to be freed into the wilds of the Arctic – where whales are a key source of food for local populations.

A suggested protected area in the region of Nova Scotia, which recently received government approval, has proven highly debated. The future facility, which includes extensive space of protected cove, doesn’t yet exist. Proponents remain positive that it could ultimately represent a permanent resolution for some of the whales.

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

Different voices say the prospect of a refuge indicates a changing attitudes away from zoos and aquariums and could represent a feasible plan in the coming months.

The project lead, director of the sanctuary project, said the site will replicate the mental engagement and diet the whales receive from specialists, albeit in a significantly bigger environment. He said after the medical condition of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|