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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie is an adorable little “playful character”. The whale Orion – nicknamed “Onion” – is a large but guardian-like companion. Another whale, Zephyr has “ants in his pants” and wiggles like a wiggly creature. Lillooet the beluga is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a kind nature.

Thirty enclosed marine mammals in a Canadian entertainment facility have been entangled in a struggle between a closed attraction, public officials and advocacy groups.

But those most familiar with the whales say the heated discussion over their fate often overlooks the nuances of the whales who, after living their entire lives in enclosed habitats, have been closely studied by the caretakers who interact with them daily.

After the national authorities prevented the export of the belugas to a foreign facility, the embattled amusement park near the famous falls where they are held stated it would consider to end their lives unless the authorities funds the expense of keeping them alive. The nation’s marine resources official has rejected that ultimatum, placing the 30 whales in an increasingly precarious situation.

Intelligent Marine Mammals

Scientists say that belugas’ neural makeup, along with their sound replication, problem solving and social skills point to they are highly cognitive animals – something one caretaker observed first-hand.

Burgess spent several years as a whale caretaker, a job that required earning the trust of the aquatic animals.

“Developing those bonds over time takes a lot of dedication and a lot of love. At the start, they’re very wary of you,” she said. “Eventually, you gain shared confidence. And they start being more open with you. It’s just so wonderful and fulfilling.”

The trainer knew the whales were highly intelligent, but she says she was even so astounded by the details and unique traits in their dispositions. She cultivated a deep bond for a pair of whales with contrasting temperaments.

“Eve chose me. The other demanded work,” she said. “Each changed the way I view bonding.”

Growing Opposition and Deteriorating Conditions

Her interaction with the whales developed against a backdrop of growing public opposition to their enclosure.

During her tenure at the park, multiple belugas and the park’s single killer whale, the orca, succumbed. In all, 19 belugas have perished at the park since recent years, a toll which the facility links to expected lifespan, but which advocates say indicates the substandard environment in which they were housed.

The park did not operate to the public over the recent season, but the former trainer says she saw with her own eyes results of the cessation. “Structural materials is deteriorating from the pools because they’re in disrepair and not being repaired. The whales are inquisitive and so they pick it up and navigate with fragments in their mouth. It’s heartbreaking 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 elsewhere.”

Uncertain Future and Proposed Solutions

The former employee was dismissed from the park in the spring following the death of Eos, an ailing beluga the employees had to humanely kill. She said the facility thought particulars of the incident were leaked to the press and she was fired shortly thereafter.

The lack of clarity over the whales’ fate 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 “extremely difficult” undertaking, adding any efforts to humanely kill even a single beluga would require “immense manpower”, vehicles and heavy equipment.

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

She advocates for requests for the whales to be transferred promptly from the facility, with its crumbling tanks and dwindling staff.

In recent months, the nation’s government official denied a proposal to send the whales to an overseas location.

“Allowing the proposal would have meant a perpetual situation in enclosure and a return to performance for audiences,” the official wrote. “As the public, we know that whales should be in the wild, not in pools for our entertainment. I could not in good conscience authorize an relocation that would continue the conditions these belugas have experienced.”

But Burgess said the minister’s remarks reflect a broader lack of awareness of the realities of existence for belugas born in captivity.

“The society needs to understand these are whales that have existed solely in enclosed habitats and they will need constant supervision for the rest of their years,” she said. “The public just don’t comprehend that it’s not as easy as saying ‘end operations’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Ongoing Debate

As officials work to find a solution, ideas have surfaced, some of which have minimal feasibility. A suggested plan called for the belugas to be released into the open waters of northern regions – where whales are a key source of nourishment for Inuit communities.

A suggested protected area in the region of Nova Scotia, which has received government approval, has proven most controversial. The future site, which includes 100 acres of penned in ocean, doesn’t yet exist. Supporters remain hopeful that it could eventually represent a permanent resolution for eight of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among caretakers she’s consulted, there is “no trust there” about what she said is “simply an experiment” in the whales’ well-being.

Others say the possibility of a refuge indicates a broader global shift away from zoos and aquariums and could represent a workable approach in the short term.

Charles Vinick, leader of the sanctuary project, said the location will simulate the mental engagement and diet the whales get from trainers, albeit in a much larger area. He said after the health of whales is fully assessed, which could take months|an extended period|