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Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie is an charming small “playful character”. The whale Orion – called “Onion” – is a sizeable but very loyal companion. Another whale, Zephyr has “endless energy” and moves like a wiggly creature. Lillooet the beluga is the “loving presence” with a kind nature.

A group of thirty captive marine mammals in a Canadian entertainment facility have been caught in a disagreement between a shuttered park, government authorities and welfare campaigners.

But those most familiar with the whales say the impassioned discussion over their fate often fails to consider the complexities of the whales who, after growing up in confinement, have been closely studied by the caretakers who interact with them daily.

After the Canadian government disallowed the transfer of the belugas to a foreign facility, the struggling facility near the famous falls where they are housed warned to put them down unless the government funds the upkeep of their care. Canada’s fisheries minister has refused that demand, placing the 30 whales in an increasingly precarious circumstance.

Highly Cognitive Marine Mammals

Researchers say that beluga whales’ neuroanatomy, along with their sound replication, intellectual tasks and social skills suggest they are highly cognitive creatures – something one caretaker learned directly.

She spent several years as a marine mammal specialist, a position that entailed gaining confidence of the marine predators.

“Building up those relationships over time takes a lot of dedication and a lot of affection. At the outset, 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 nevertheless surprised by the details and quirks in their personalities. She formed a deep bond for two female belugas with opposing temperaments.

“Eve accepted me. Cleo required effort,” she said. “They transformed the way I view bonding.”

Growing Opposition and Deteriorating Conditions

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

During her time at the facility, seven belugas and the park’s single killer whale, Kiska, passed away. In total, 19 belugas have died at the park since recent years, a toll which the park links to expected lifespan, but which activists say indicates the inadequate care in which they were housed.

The facility did not operate to the visitors over the recent season, but the former trainer says she saw with her own eyes results of the closure. “Concrete is deteriorating from the pools because they’re falling apart and not being repaired. The whales are curious and so they pick it up and swim around with chunks in their mouth. It’s heartbreaking to see.”

The park did not respond to a inquiry, but earlier stated: “The whales … receive far higher quality medical attention and around the clock supervision than any individual in the UK, or elsewhere.”

Uncertain Future and Potential Resolutions

The former employee was terminated from the park in early March following the demise of Eos, an sick beluga the caretakers had to humanely kill. She said the facility thought particulars of the incident were leaked to the news outlets and she was released soon after.

The lack of clarity over the whales’ outcome has left her and other caretakers in despair. She says the facility’s ultimatum to end the lives of its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “logistically impossible” undertaking, adding any efforts to euthanize even a single beluga would require “significant staff”, trucks and machinery.

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

Burgess supports demands for the whales to be taken immediately from the facility, with its crumbling tanks and dwindling staff.

In the autumn, Canada’s government official denied a proposal to export the whales to China.

“Allowing the application would have meant a continued situation in captivity and a reversion to display for amusement,” the minister commented. “As Canadians, we know that whales belong in the wild, not in pools for our entertainment. I could not in ethical standing authorize an export that would prolong the conditions these belugas have experienced.”

But the former trainer said the official’s remarks reflect a broader lack of awareness of the facts of living conditions for belugas born in captivity.

“The people needs to realize these are whales that have existed solely in enclosed habitats and they will need ongoing assistance for the foreseeable future,” she said. “The public just don’t realize that it’s not as straightforward as saying ‘close it down’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Ongoing Debate

As authorities attempt to find a resolution, proposals have been put forward, some of which have minimal feasibility. A suggested plan called for the belugas to be released into the wilds of the Arctic – where whales are a important part of food for local populations.

A planned protected area in the province of Nova Scotia, which now received government approval, has been contentious. The prospective site, which includes extensive space of enclosed sea water, is not yet built. Advocates remain hopeful that it could ultimately represent a long term resolution for a number of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among caretakers she’s spoken with, there is “skepticism there” about what she said is “only an trial” in the whales’ fate.

Others say the idea of a protected habitat indicates a broader global shift away from zoos and aquariums and could represent a viable solution in the short term.

An official, head of the sanctuary project, said the facility will simulate the intellectual stimulation and diet the whales get from specialists, albeit in a more expansive environment. He said after the health of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|