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Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie is an cute little “playful character”. Orion – nicknamed “Onion” – is a large but very loyal companion. Another whale, Zephyr has “ants in his pants” and wiggles like a worm. Lillooet the beluga is the “loving presence” with a heart of gold.

A group of thirty enclosed beluga whales in a Canadian amusement park have been caught in a tussle between a defunct facility, government authorities and animal rights activists.

But those working directly with the whales say the impassioned debate over their destiny often fails to consider the nuances of the whales who, after living their entire lives in confinement, have been closely studied by the caretakers who work with them regularly.

After the federal government blocked the export of the belugas to China, the struggling facility near the famous falls where they are housed warned to euthanize them unless the government pays for the expense of their care. Canada’s fisheries minister has rejected that ultimatum, placing the thirty whales in an ever more uncertain circumstance.

Highly Cognitive Marine Mammals

Scientists say that belugas’ brain structure, along with their sound replication, cognitive challenges and social skills suggest they are remarkably smart animals – something Kristy Burgess observed first-hand.

Burgess spent several years as a beluga trainer, a role that involved earning the trust of the sea creatures.

“Developing those bonds over time takes a lot of regularity and a lot of care. At the outset, 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 gratifying.”

The trainer knew the whales were very smart, but she says she was nevertheless astounded by the subtleties and unique traits in their personalities. She developed a special affection for two female belugas with different temperaments.

“One whale selected me. The other required effort,” she said. “Each changed the way I perceive bonding.”

Public Concerns and Deteriorating Conditions

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

During her three years at the facility, seven belugas and the park’s single killer whale, Kiska, passed away. In total, nineteen belugas have perished at the park since recent years, a number which the facility links to age-related causes, but which campaigners say points to the poor conditions in which they were kept.

The park did not admit visitors to the public over the recent season, but the former trainer says she witnessed firsthand consequences of the closure. “Structural materials is falling apart from the tanks because they’re degrading and not being repaired. The whales are exploratory and so they take pieces and swim around with pieces in their jaws. It’s distressing to see.”

The facility did not reply to a inquiry, but previously asserted: “The whales … obtain far better veterinary services and around the clock attention than any human in the UK, or other places.”

Uncertain Future and Potential Resolutions

The former employee was fired from the facility in early March following the death of a beluga, an ailing beluga the caretakers had to put down. She said the facility suspected information of the death were leaked to the press and she was let go not long after.

The ambiguity over the whales’ fate has left Burgess and current and former trainers in despair. She says the park’s warning to euthanize its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “practically unfeasible” endeavor, adding any attempts to humanely kill even a single beluga would require “significant personnel”, equipment and machinery.

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

Burgess advocates for demands for the whales to be transferred immediately from the facility, with its deteriorating pools and reduced personnel.

In late September, the nation’s government official rejected a bid to send the whales to China.

“Granting the application would have meant a perpetual existence in confinement and a return to display for amusement,” the official commented. “As Canadians, we know that marine mammals belong in the wild, not in pools for our enjoyment. I could not in good conscience approve an export that would continue the situation these belugas have endured.”

But the former trainer said the official’s remarks indicate a wider incorrect perception of the realities of living conditions for belugas living their whole lives in enclosures.

“The society needs to realize these are whales that have lived entirely in confinement and they will need human care for the rest of their years,” she said. “People just don’t realize that it’s not as straightforward as saying ‘end operations’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Ongoing Debate

As officials struggle to find a answer, proposals have been put forward, some of which have little basis in reality. An idea called for the belugas to be released into the natural habitat of northern regions – where whales are a key source of sustenance for local populations.

A suggested sanctuary in the region of Nova Scotia, which now received official endorsement, has shown to be contentious. The prospective site, which includes a large area of penned in ocean, remains undeveloped. Proponents remain positive that it could in time represent a sustainable answer for some of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among staff she’s consulted, there is “doubts there” about what she said is “only an untested concept” in the whales’ future.

Others say the idea of a refuge reflects a changing attitudes away from zoos and aquariums and could represent a workable plan in the near future.

The project lead, director of the sanctuary project, said the site will replicate the cognitive activities and feeding regimen the whales receive from trainers, albeit in a more expansive area. He said after the medical condition of whales is completely examined, which could take months|an extended period|