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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie is an charming small “ham sandwich”. The whale Orion – called “Onion” – is a sizeable but very loyal companion. Another whale, Zephyr has “ants in his pants” and sways like a worm. Lillooet is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a gentle spirit.

A group of thirty enclosed beluga whales in a Canadian entertainment facility have become pawns in a tussle between a closed attraction, government authorities and animal rights activists.

But those closest to the whales say the intense debate over their fate often ignores the nuances of the whales who, after living their entire lives in captivity, have been carefully observed by the humans who interact with them daily.

After the federal government disallowed the export of the belugas to China, the struggling facility near the famous falls where they are kept threatened to euthanize them unless the authorities pays for the upkeep of their care. Canada’s marine resources official has rejected that request, placing the thirty whales in an dangerously unstable position.

Intelligent Sea Creatures

Researchers say that beluga whales’ brain structure, along with their vocal imitation skills, problem solving and group interactions indicate they are highly cognitive creatures – something Kristy Burgess learned personally.

Burgess spent a significant period as a whale caretaker, a job that entailed earning the trust of the sea creatures.

“Establishing those relationships over time takes a lot of consistency and a lot of love. At the outset, they’re very unsure of you,” she said. “Over time, you gain mutual trust. And they start being more open with you. It’s just so magical and gratifying.”

The trainer knew the whales were very smart, but she says she was nonetheless amazed by the details and quirks in their dispositions. She cultivated a special affection for Eve and Cleopatra with contrasting temperaments.

“One whale chose me. Cleo made me earn it,” she said. “Both changed the way I view relationships.”

Growing Opposition and Facility Decline

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

During her tenure at the attraction, multiple belugas and the park’s single killer whale, Kiska, died. In all, nineteen belugas have perished at the park since recent years, a statistic which the park links to natural mortality, but which campaigners say indicates the substandard environment in which they were maintained.

The facility did not operate to the guests over the summer, but the former trainer says she observed directly consequences of the closure. “Structural materials is breaking off from the enclosures because they’re in disrepair and not being maintained. The whales are exploratory and so they pick it up and move about with pieces in their mouth. It’s heartbreaking to see.”

The facility did not reply to a questionnaire, but earlier claimed: “The whales … get far better medical attention and constant care than any human in the United Kingdom, or other places.”

Fate in Limbo and Proposed Solutions

Burgess was fired from the park in the spring following the death of a beluga, an ailing beluga the caretakers had to put down. She said the facility thought particulars of the incident were disclosed to the media and she was let go shortly thereafter.

The uncertainty over the whales’ outcome has left Burgess and staff members in anguish. She says the park’s threat to end the lives of its whales is a leverage tool and is a “logistically impossible” task, adding any plans to euthanize even a single beluga would require “considerable staff”, trucks and specialized tools.

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

She backs calls for the whales to be transferred immediately from the facility, with its deteriorating pools and shrinking team.

In the autumn, the nation’s fisheries minister turned down a bid to export the whales to an overseas location.

“Allowing the request would have meant a continued life in captivity and a return to display for amusement,” the minister stated. “As the public, we know that marine mammals are meant for the sea, not in tanks for our enjoyment. I could not in good conscience authorize an transfer that would continue the conditions these belugas have suffered.”

But Burgess said the minister’s comments reveal a more general lack of awareness of the facts of life for belugas raised in confinement.

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

Sanctuary Proposal and Ongoing Debate

As decision makers attempt to find a solution, suggestions have emerged, some of which have little basis in reality. A suggested plan called for the belugas to be let go into the natural habitat of Canada’s north – where whales are a key source of nourishment for Inuit communities.

A planned protected area in the province of eastern Canada, which has received regulatory clearance, has proven highly debated. The prospective facility, which includes 100 acres of penned in ocean, remains undeveloped. Supporters remain optimistic that it could in time represent a sustainable solution for some 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.

Others say the idea of a sanctuary indicates a changing attitudes away from zoos and aquariums and could represent a feasible solution in the coming months.

The project lead, director of the sanctuary project, said the facility will simulate the mental engagement and diet the whales obtain from trainers, albeit in a significantly bigger environment. He said after the well-being of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|