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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie is an cute little “playful character”. Orion – nicknamed “Onion” – is a sizeable but fiercely protective friend. Zephyr has “endless energy” and wiggles like a worm. Lillooet the beluga is the “loving presence” with a heart of gold.

Thirty captive beluga whales in a Canadian entertainment facility have become pawns in a disagreement between a defunct facility, government authorities and animal rights activists.

But those most familiar with the whales say the heated debate over their future often ignores the individual traits of the whales who, after living their entire lives in captivity, have been carefully observed by the humans who work with them regularly.

After the federal government disallowed the sale of the belugas to a foreign facility, the struggling facility near the famous falls where they are held warned to euthanize them unless the authorities pays for the cost of keeping them alive. The nation’s fisheries minister has rejected that demand, placing the thirty whales in an ever more uncertain circumstance.

Intelligent Sea Creatures

Scientists say that beluga whales’ brain structure, along with their mimicry abilities, problem solving and social skills point to they are remarkably smart mammals – something one caretaker discovered first-hand.

Burgess spent a significant period as a beluga trainer, a position that involved earning the trust of the marine predators.

“Building up those bonds over time takes a lot of dedication and a lot of care. At the start, they’re very unsure of you,” she said. “Over time, you gain reciprocal understanding. And they start being more open with you. It’s just so wonderful and rewarding.”

Burgess knew the whales were highly intelligent, but she says she was nonetheless surprised by the details and quirks in their dispositions. She developed a special affection for Eve and Cleopatra with contrasting natures.

“One whale chose me. The other required effort,” she said. “Each changed the way I view connection.”

Public Concerns and Deteriorating Conditions

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

During her three years at the facility, seven belugas and the park’s single orca, the orca, passed away. In all, 19 belugas have perished at the park since recent years, a number which the park ascribes to age-related causes, but which campaigners say points to the inadequate care in which they were maintained.

The facility did not open to the guests over the recent season, but the former trainer says she observed directly consequences of the closure. “Structural materials is breaking off from the tanks because they’re falling apart and not being maintained. The whales are curious and so they grab fragments and move about with chunks in their mouth. It’s upsetting to see.”

The facility did not reply to a inquiry, but previously stated: “The whales … get far better medical attention and constant supervision than any person in the UK, or anywhere else.”

Fate in Limbo and Potential Resolutions

The former employee was dismissed from the facility in early March following the passing of a beluga, an ailing beluga the caretakers had to euthanize. She said the park suspected information of the incident were leaked to the media and she was let go shortly thereafter.

The ambiguity over the whales’ fate has left her and other caretakers in despair. She says the facility’s threat to end the lives of its whales is a bargaining chip and is a “practically unfeasible” undertaking, adding any attempts to euthanize even a one beluga would require “significant staff”, vehicles and machinery.

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

Burgess supports calls for the whales to be taken promptly from the park, with its deteriorating pools and dwindling staff.

In recent months, the nation’s government official rejected a bid to transfer the whales to China.

“Granting the application would have meant a perpetual life in captivity and a reversion to public entertainment,” the minister wrote. “As the public, we know that belugas should be in the sea, not in tanks for our entertainment. I could not in good conscience permit an export that would perpetuate the situation these belugas have endured.”

But Burgess said the minister’s statements reveal a broader lack of awareness of the circumstances of living conditions for belugas born in captivity.

“The society needs to grasp these are whales that have existed solely in confinement and they will need ongoing assistance for the rest of their years,” she said. “The public just don’t comprehend that it’s not as simple as saying ‘close it down’.”

Alternative Habitat and Ongoing Debate

As decision makers struggle to find a resolution, proposals have surfaced, some of which have questionable practicality. An idea called for the belugas to be let go into the open waters of northern regions – where whales are a key source of nourishment for Inuit communities.

A suggested sanctuary in the region of eastern Canada, which has received official endorsement, has proven highly debated. The future location, which includes 100 acres of protected cove, is not yet built. Advocates remain optimistic that it could eventually represent a permanent resolution for a number of the whales.

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

Different voices say the prospect of a sanctuary indicates a broader global shift away from captive facilities and could represent a viable approach in the near future.

The project lead, director of the plan, said the site will mimic the intellectual stimulation and diet the whales obtain from specialists, albeit in a significantly bigger space. He said after the well-being of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|