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Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie is an cute small “ham sandwich”. The whale Orion – nicknamed “Onion” – is a sizeable but very loyal companion. Zephyr has “ants in his pants” and sways like a wiggly creature. Lillooet the beluga is the “most affectionate” with a heart of gold.

Thirty enclosed beluga whales in a Canada-based entertainment facility have become pawns in a tussle between a defunct facility, government authorities and advocacy groups.

But those closest to the whales say the intense controversy over their future often overlooks the complexities of the whales who, after spending their lives in enclosed habitats, have been thoroughly researched by the people who work with them regularly.

After the federal government disallowed the export of the belugas to China, the embattled attraction near the famous falls where they are housed warned to euthanize them unless the government pays for the cost of their survival. Canada’s fisheries minister has rejected that ultimatum, placing the thirty whales in an increasingly precarious situation.

Intelligent Sea Creatures

Researchers say that belugas’ neuroanatomy, along with their mimicry abilities, intellectual tasks and group interactions indicate they are remarkably smart animals – something a former trainer observed directly.

Burgess spent three years as a beluga trainer, a job that involved gaining confidence of the aquatic animals.

“Developing those relationships over time takes a lot of dedication and a lot of affection. At the start, they’re very cautious of you,” she said. “Eventually, you gain reciprocal understanding. And they start being more vulnerable with you. It’s just so wonderful and rewarding.”

Burgess knew the whales were exceptionally cognitive, but she says she was nevertheless astounded by the nuances and idiosyncrasies in their dispositions. She cultivated a special affection for a pair of whales with different personalities.

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

Growing Opposition and Deteriorating Conditions

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

During her tenure at the attraction, seven belugas and the park’s single killer whale, the orca, passed away. In all, nineteen belugas have died at the park since recent years, a toll which the facility links to natural mortality, but which campaigners say points to the inadequate care in which they were kept.

The facility did not admit visitors to the visitors over the recent season, but the former trainer says she saw with her own eyes results of the cessation. “Structural materials is breaking off from the pools because they’re degrading and not being maintained. The whales are exploratory and so they grab fragments and navigate with chunks in their mouth. It’s distressing to see.”

The park did not respond to a questionnaire, but earlier asserted: “The whales … get far better veterinary services and around the clock care than any person in the United Kingdom, or anywhere else.”

Uncertain Future and Potential Resolutions

The former employee was dismissed from the facility in early March following the death of a beluga, an sick beluga the caretakers had to humanely kill. She said the park suspected details of the incident were disclosed to the media and she was released shortly thereafter.

The lack of clarity over the whales’ future has left her and current and former trainers in distress. She says the facility’s threat to euthanize its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “extremely difficult” endeavor, adding any attempts to humanely kill even a individual beluga would require “significant staff”, vehicles and specialized tools.

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

Burgess advocates for calls for the whales to be transferred immediately from the facility, with its deteriorating pools and shrinking team.

In late September, Canada’s government official denied a request to send the whales to China.

“Granting the request would have meant a continued situation in confinement and a reversion to performance for audiences,” the official commented. “As Canadians, we know that marine mammals are meant for the ocean, not in pools for our enjoyment. I could not in ethical standing approve an relocation that would continue the conditions these belugas have endured.”

But Burgess said the official’s comments reflect a wider incorrect perception of the facts of life for belugas living their whole lives in enclosures.

“The people needs to grasp these are whales that have lived entirely in captivity and they will need human care for the remainder of their lives,” she said. “The public just don’t realize that it’s not as straightforward as saying ‘end operations’.”

Alternative Habitat and Continuing Discussion

As officials work to find a solution, suggestions have emerged, some of which have little basis in reality. An idea called for the belugas to be let go into the wilds of northern regions – where whales are a important part of food for local populations.

A suggested protected area in the region of Nova Scotia, which has received regulatory clearance, has been most controversial. The prospective site, which includes extensive space of penned in ocean, remains undeveloped. Advocates remain positive that it could eventually represent a sustainable resolution for a number of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among staff she’s discussed with, there is “no trust there” about what she said is “only an experiment” in the whales’ fate.

Others say the possibility of a refuge indicates a changing attitudes away from zoos and aquariums and could represent a viable solution in the short term.

The project lead, head of the plan, said the site will replicate the intellectual stimulation and nutrition the whales obtain from trainers, albeit in a significantly bigger area. He said after the medical condition of whales is fully assessed, which could take months|an extended period|