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Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie is an charming little “ham sandwich”. Orion – nicknamed “Onion” – is a sizeable but fiercely protective companion. Zephyr has “endless energy” and wiggles like a worm. Lillooet the beluga is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a heart of gold.

A group of thirty captive marine mammals in a Canada-based entertainment facility have been caught in a tussle between a closed attraction, local and national governments and animal rights activists.

But those closest to the whales say the intense debate over their destiny often fails to consider the nuances of the whales who, after spending their lives in captivity, have been closely studied by the caretakers who see them each day.

After the Canadian government prevented the sale of the belugas to China, the controversial facility near the famous falls where they are kept threatened to end their lives unless the authorities pays for the expense of their survival. Canada’s fisheries minister has denied that request, placing the 30 whales in an ever more uncertain position.

Highly Cognitive Marine Mammals

Scientists say that beluga whales’ neural makeup, along with their mimicry abilities, cognitive challenges and group interactions suggest they are deeply intelligent creatures – something one caretaker learned directly.

Burgess spent several years as a beluga trainer, a job that required building relationships of the sea creatures.

“Developing those bonds over time takes a lot of regularity and a lot of affection. At the outset, they’re very unsure of you,” she said. “In time, you gain shared confidence. And they start being more vulnerable with you. It’s just so extraordinary and rewarding.”

Burgess knew the whales were highly intelligent, but she says she was even so astounded by the nuances and quirks in their personalities. She cultivated a particular love for two female belugas with opposing natures.

“Eve selected me. The other made me earn it,” she said. “Each transformed the way I view bonding.”

Public Concerns and Deteriorating Conditions

Her relationship with the whales evolved against a backdrop of growing public opposition to their enclosure.

During her time at the park, seven belugas and the park’s single orca, Kiska, passed away. In all, 19 belugas have perished at the park since recent years, a statistic which the facility links to expected lifespan, but which activists say reflects the substandard environment in which they were maintained.

The park did not admit visitors to the public over the summer, but Burgess says she observed directly effects of the cessation. “Concrete is breaking off from the tanks because they’re in disrepair and not being maintained. The whales are curious and so they pick it up and navigate with chunks in their mouth. It’s distressing to see.”

The park did not respond to a questionnaire, but in the past asserted: “The whales … get far better health care and around the clock attention than any individual in the United Kingdom, or elsewhere.”

Fate in Limbo and Proposed Solutions

The former employee was fired from the facility in recent months following the passing of Eos, an unwell beluga the park staff had to euthanize. She said the park believed particulars of the death were disclosed to the press and she was released shortly thereafter.

The ambiguity over the whales’ fate has left Burgess and other caretakers in distress. She says the park’s warning to euthanize its whales is a bargaining chip and is a “practically unfeasible” endeavor, adding any plans to euthanize even a single beluga would require “considerable personnel”, equipment and specialized tools.

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

Burgess backs requests for the whales to be transferred right away from the facility, with its deteriorating pools and shrinking team.

In late September, Canada’s fisheries minister denied a proposal to send the whales to an overseas location.

“Allowing the proposal would have meant a continued situation in enclosure and a return to display for amusement,” the minister commented. “As the public, we know that belugas are meant for the sea, not in pools for our amusement. I could not in ethical standing approve an export that would perpetuate the conditions these belugas have suffered.”

But Burgess said the minister’s comments reveal a more general incorrect perception of the realities of existence for belugas born in captivity.

“The public needs to realize these are whales that have existed solely in captivity and they will need human care for the remainder of their lives,” she said. “Many just don’t realize that it’s not as simple as saying ‘shut it down’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Ongoing Debate

As authorities work to find a solution, proposals have emerged, some of which have questionable practicality. An idea called for the belugas to be let go into the natural habitat of Canada’s north – where whales are a primary resource of food for local populations.

A suggested refuge in the province of Nova Scotia, which now received regulatory clearance, has shown to be highly debated. The prospective location, which includes a large area of protected cove, remains undeveloped. Advocates remain optimistic that it could in time represent a long term answer for eight of the whales.

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

Different voices say the prospect of a refuge indicates a broader global shift away from captive facilities and could represent a feasible solution in the coming months.

Charles Vinick, leader of the plan, said the site will mimic the intellectual stimulation and diet the whales obtain from specialists, albeit in a more expansive space. He said after the well-being of whales is completely examined, which could take months|an extended period|