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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie is an charming little “playful character”. Orion – nicknamed “Onion Ring” – is a sizeable but fiercely protective companion. Zephyr has “constant motion” and moves like a wiggly creature. Lillooet is the “most affectionate” with a kind nature.

Thirty enclosed beluga whales in a Canada-based entertainment facility have become pawns in a struggle between a closed attraction, local and national governments and animal rights activists.

But those closest to the whales say the impassioned controversy over their destiny often ignores the complexities of the whales who, after growing up in enclosed habitats, have been thoroughly researched by the humans who work with them regularly.

After the Canadian government disallowed the export of the belugas to a foreign facility, the struggling facility near the famous falls where they are kept warned to end their lives unless the federal government pays for the cost of keeping them alive. Canada’s marine resources official has rejected that request, placing the thirty whales in an dangerously unstable circumstance.

Intelligent Marine Mammals

Experts say that belugas’ neural makeup, along with their mimicry abilities, cognitive challenges and communal behavior point to they are remarkably smart mammals – something one caretaker learned first-hand.

She spent a significant period as a beluga trainer, a role that entailed earning the trust of the sea creatures.

“Developing those connections over time takes a lot of dedication and a lot of care. At the outset, they’re very unsure of you,” she said. “Over time, you gain mutual trust. And they start being more vulnerable with you. It’s just so magical and gratifying.”

Burgess knew the whales were very smart, but she says she was nonetheless amazed by the subtleties and idiosyncrasies in their characters. She cultivated a special affection for two female belugas with different natures.

“One whale accepted me. The other required effort,” she said. “Both changed the way I perceive connection.”

Growing Opposition and Deteriorating Conditions

Burgess’s interaction with the whales evolved against a backdrop of rising activist criticism to their captivity.

During her three years at the park, seven belugas and the park’s one killer whale, Kiska, died. In total, 19 belugas have perished at the park since recent years, a number which the park attributes to natural mortality, but which campaigners say reflects the substandard environment in which they were housed.

The facility did not open to the public over the recent season, but the former trainer says she witnessed firsthand consequences of the cessation. “Structural materials is breaking off from the enclosures because they’re in disrepair and not being fixed. The whales are inquisitive and so they take pieces and swim around with chunks in their jaws. It’s distressing to see.”

The facility did not comment to a request for comment, but in the past asserted: “The whales … get far superior health care and 24/7 care than any individual in the Britain, or elsewhere.”

Fate in Limbo and Proposed Solutions

Burgess was terminated from the park in early March following the passing of Eos, an sick beluga the park staff had to euthanize. She said the park thought information of the death were disclosed to the press and she was fired shortly thereafter.

The lack of clarity over the whales’ fate has left her and other caretakers in despair. She says the facility’s ultimatum to euthanize its whales is a bargaining chip and is a “logistically impossible” task, adding any attempts to humanely kill even a individual beluga would require “immense personnel”, equipment and specialized tools.

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

Burgess advocates for demands for the whales to be transferred promptly from the facility, with its deteriorating pools and dwindling staff.

In late September, the nation’s fisheries minister denied a bid to export the whales to an overseas location.

“Allowing the application would have meant a ongoing situation in enclosure and a return to display for amusement,” the minister stated. “As the public, we know that belugas belong in the wild, not in enclosures for our entertainment. I could not in good conscience authorize an transfer that would perpetuate the conditions these belugas have suffered.”

But Burgess said the official’s remarks reveal a wider incorrect perception of the circumstances of existence for belugas raised in confinement.

“The public needs to realize these are whales that have existed solely in captivity and they will need ongoing assistance for the rest of their years,” she said. “The public just don’t understand that it’s not as easy as saying ‘shut it down’.”

Alternative Habitat and Continuing Discussion

As officials attempt to find a resolution, proposals have emerged, some of which have questionable practicality. An idea called for the belugas to be released into the open waters of the Arctic – where whales are a primary resource of nourishment for local populations.

A proposed sanctuary in the province of Nova Scotia, which recently received regulatory clearance, has shown to be contentious. The planned location, which includes 100 acres of enclosed sea water, remains undeveloped. Advocates remain optimistic that it could eventually represent a long term solution for a number of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among trainers she’s spoken with, there is “doubts there” about what she said is “simply an untested concept” in the whales’ fate.

Different voices say the idea of a protected habitat reflects a worldwide trend away from captive facilities and could represent a workable plan in the short term.

Charles Vinick, leader of the sanctuary project, said the facility will mimic the intellectual stimulation and feeding regimen the whales obtain from trainers, albeit in a much larger area. He said after the medical condition of whales is completely examined, which could take months|an extended period|