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Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie is an adorable little “sweetheart”. The whale Orion – called “Onion” – is a big but very loyal friend. Zephyr has “constant motion” and wiggles like a wiggly creature. Lillooet is the “loving presence” with a kind nature.

Thirty enclosed beluga whales in a Canadian entertainment facility have been caught in a struggle between a closed attraction, government authorities and advocacy groups.

But those most familiar with the whales say the impassioned debate over their future often overlooks the nuances of the whales who, after growing up in enclosed habitats, have been carefully observed by the humans who work with them regularly.

After the federal government blocked the transfer of the belugas to China, the struggling amusement park near the famous falls where they are kept stated it would consider to end their lives unless the federal government funds the expense of their care. Canada’s fisheries minister has refused that request, placing the 30 whales in an dangerously unstable situation.

Intelligent Sea Creatures

Scientists say that belugas’ brain structure, along with their sound replication, cognitive challenges and social skills point to they are remarkably smart animals – something Kristy Burgess learned directly.

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

“Developing those connections over time takes a lot of consistency and a lot of care. At the outset, they’re very cautious of you,” she said. “Eventually, you gain shared confidence. And they start being more trusting with you. It’s just so extraordinary and fulfilling.”

Burgess knew the whales were exceptionally cognitive, but she says she was nonetheless amazed by the nuances and idiosyncrasies in their dispositions. She developed a particular love for two female belugas with contrasting natures.

“One whale chose me. The other demanded work,” she said. “They altered the way I view relationships.”

Growing Opposition and Facility Decline

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

During her three years at the attraction, seven belugas and the park’s one killer whale, Kiska, succumbed. In total, nineteen belugas have died at the park since recent years, a statistic which the park attributes to expected lifespan, but which activists say reflects the inadequate care in which they were kept.

The park did not operate to the guests over the summer, but Burgess says she witnessed firsthand consequences of the shutdown. “Structural materials is falling apart from the pools because they’re degrading and not being fixed. The whales are inquisitive and so they pick it up and navigate with fragments in their mouth. It’s upsetting to see.”

The facility did not respond to a questionnaire, but previously asserted: “The whales … get far higher quality veterinary services and constant attention than any person in the Britain, or other places.”

Fate in Limbo and Proposed Solutions

The former employee was terminated from the facility in early March following the demise of Eos, an unwell beluga the employees had to put down. She said the park believed information of the incident were disclosed to the media and she was released soon after.

The lack of clarity over the whales’ outcome has left Burgess and other caretakers in anguish. She says the facility’s threat to euthanize its whales is a leverage tool and is a “practically unfeasible” undertaking, adding any plans to humanely kill even a single beluga would require “significant personnel”, vehicles and specialized tools.

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

She supports calls for the whales to be taken promptly from the park, with its failing enclosures and reduced personnel.

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

“To approve the application would have meant a perpetual existence in enclosure and a return to display for amusement,” the minister commented. “As Canadians, we know that marine mammals belong in the sea, not in tanks for our amusement. I could not in good conscience permit an transfer that would prolong the conditions these belugas have suffered.”

But the former trainer said the official’s remarks reflect a wider lack of awareness of the realities of living conditions for belugas living their whole lives in enclosures.

“The people needs to realize these are whales that have spent their whole lives in enclosed habitats and they will need constant supervision for the remainder of their lives,” she said. “Many just don’t understand that it’s not as straightforward as saying ‘close it down’.”

Alternative Habitat and Continuing Discussion

As decision makers work to find a solution, proposals have been put forward, some of which have minimal feasibility. A suggested plan called for the belugas to be let go into the wilds of the Arctic – where whales are a key source of sustenance for local populations.

A proposed protected area in the region of Nova Scotia, which recently received government approval, has proven contentious. The future site, which includes extensive space of protected cove, remains undeveloped. Advocates remain hopeful that it could in time represent a permanent resolution for eight of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among staff she’s consulted, there is “skepticism there” about what she said is “simply an experiment” in the whales’ future.

Some experts say the prospect of a refuge indicates a broader global shift away from captive facilities and could represent a viable plan in the short term.

The project lead, director of the sanctuary project, said the location will mimic the mental engagement and nutrition the whales get 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|