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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie is an cute small “ham sandwich”. The whale Orion – called “Onion” – is a big but fiercely protective companion. Zephyr has “endless energy” and wiggles like a wiggly creature. Lillooet is the “loving presence” with a gentle spirit.

A group of thirty enclosed marine mammals in a Canadian entertainment facility have been caught in a tussle between a shuttered park, public officials and animal rights activists.

But those working directly with the whales say the impassioned debate over their destiny often overlooks the individual traits of the whales who, after growing up in enclosed habitats, have been closely studied by the people who see them each day.

After the national authorities blocked the transfer of the belugas to a foreign facility, the struggling facility near the famous falls where they are held threatened to euthanize them unless the government pays for the cost of their survival. The nation’s fisheries minister has denied that request, placing the 30 whales in an increasingly precarious situation.

Intelligent Sea Creatures

Scientists say that belugas’ brain structure, along with their sound replication, cognitive challenges and group interactions suggest they are remarkably smart creatures – something a former trainer learned directly.

Burgess spent three years as a beluga trainer, a role that involved gaining confidence of the sea creatures.

“Developing those connections over time takes a lot of dedication and a lot of love. At the beginning, they’re very cautious of you,” she said. “In time, you gain mutual trust. And they start being more trusting with you. It’s just so wonderful and rewarding.”

The trainer knew the whales were highly intelligent, but she says she was even so amazed by the nuances and idiosyncrasies in their dispositions. She cultivated a special affection for Eve and Cleopatra with different personalities.

“Eve selected me. The other demanded work,” she said. “They altered the way I view bonding.”

Public Concerns and Facility Decline

Burgess’s connection with the whales progressed against a context of increasing societal concern to their confinement.

During her three years at the facility, multiple belugas and the park’s one orca, the orca, died. In all, nineteen belugas have died at the park since recent years, a statistic which the park links to age-related causes, but which campaigners say reflects the inadequate care in which they were kept.

The facility did not open to the visitors over the recent season, but Burgess says she saw with her own eyes effects of the closure. “Concrete is falling apart from the pools because they’re degrading and not being repaired. The whales are exploratory and so they grab fragments and move about with fragments in their jaws. It’s distressing to see.”

The park did not comment to a inquiry, but previously stated: “The whales … get far superior medical attention and constant supervision than any person in the United Kingdom, or other places.”

Fate in Limbo and Potential Resolutions

The former employee was terminated from the facility in the spring following the death of a beluga, an sick beluga the park staff had to euthanize. She said the park believed details of the incident were disclosed to the press and she was let go soon after.

The lack of clarity over the whales’ outcome has left Burgess and current and former trainers in despair. She says the park’s threat to euthanize its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “practically unfeasible” endeavor, adding any efforts to humanely kill even a single beluga would require “significant manpower”, equipment and heavy equipment.

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

She supports requests for the whales to be transferred immediately from the park, with its crumbling tanks and shrinking team.

In late September, the nation’s government official turned down a proposal to transfer the whales to China.

“To approve the application would have meant a continued existence in captivity and a return to public entertainment,” the official stated. “As Canadians, we know that whales are meant for the ocean, not in tanks for our amusement. I could not in good conscience authorize an transfer that would continue the conditions these belugas have endured.”

But Burgess said the official’s remarks reveal a more general misunderstanding of the circumstances of existence for belugas born in captivity.

“The society needs to grasp these are whales that have spent their whole lives in confinement and they will need ongoing assistance for the rest of their years,” she said. “Many just don’t understand that it’s not as simple as saying ‘shut it down’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Ongoing Debate

As officials attempt to find a answer, ideas have emerged, some of which have questionable practicality. One proposal called for the belugas to be let go into the wilds of Canada’s north – where whales are a key source of nourishment for Indigenous peoples.

A proposed refuge in the province of eastern Canada, which has received official endorsement, has shown to be most controversial. The planned facility, which includes a large area of enclosed sea water, remains undeveloped. Advocates remain hopeful that it could ultimately represent a long term solution for a number of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among staff she’s spoken with, there is “no trust there” about what she said is “merely an experiment” in the whales’ fate.

Different voices say the idea of a refuge indicates a worldwide trend away from captive facilities and could represent a viable approach in the near future.

An official, leader of the initiative, said the location will mimic the intellectual stimulation and feeding regimen the whales receive from specialists, albeit in a much larger area. He said after the medical condition of whales is fully assessed, which could take months|an extended period|