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Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie is an adorable little “sweetheart”. The whale Orion – nicknamed “Onion” – is a sizeable but very loyal friend. Another whale, Zephyr has “endless energy” and moves like a wiggly creature. Lillooet the beluga is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a heart of gold.

Thirty enclosed beluga whales in a Canada-based entertainment facility have been caught in a tussle between a defunct facility, local and national governments and animal rights activists.

But those working directly with the whales say the impassioned debate over their fate often overlooks the individual traits of the whales who, after growing up in enclosed habitats, have been carefully observed by the people who interact with them daily.

After the Canadian government prevented the sale of the belugas to China, the controversial attraction near the famous falls where they are held stated it would consider to euthanize them unless the government pays for the expense of their care. The nation’s marine resources official has refused that demand, placing the 30 whales in an ever more uncertain situation.

Intelligent Sea Creatures

Experts say that belugas’ neural makeup, along with their mimicry abilities, problem solving and group interactions indicate they are highly cognitive mammals – something a former trainer learned directly.

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

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

Burgess knew the whales were highly intelligent, but she says she was nonetheless surprised by the nuances and idiosyncrasies in their dispositions. She cultivated a particular love for Eve and Cleopatra with contrasting natures.

“Eve selected me. Cleo required effort,” she said. “Both changed the way I view connection.”

Growing Opposition and Deteriorating Conditions

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

During her tenure at the park, multiple belugas and the park’s single killer whale, Kiska, succumbed. In all, 19 belugas have perished at the park since recent years, a number which the park ascribes to expected lifespan, but which activists say indicates the inadequate care in which they were kept.

The park did not admit visitors to the public over the recent season, but the former trainer says she saw with her own eyes results of the closure. “Concrete is falling apart from the enclosures because they’re in disrepair and not being repaired. The whales are curious and so they take pieces and navigate with pieces in their mouth. It’s heartbreaking to see.”

The park did not respond to a questionnaire, but earlier asserted: “The whales … get far superior medical attention and around the clock attention than any human in the United Kingdom, or elsewhere.”

Uncertain Future and Proposed Solutions

Burgess was terminated from the park in the spring following the demise of a beluga, an sick beluga the park staff had to euthanize. She said the park suspected information of the death were leaked to the media and she was fired shortly thereafter.

The lack of clarity over the whales’ future has left Burgess and staff members in distress. She says the facility’s warning to end the lives of its whales is a leverage tool and is a “extremely difficult” task, adding any attempts to put down even a individual beluga would require “significant personnel”, equipment and heavy equipment.

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

She supports requests for the whales to be transferred immediately from the facility, with its crumbling tanks and reduced personnel.

In recent months, Canada’s fisheries minister denied a request to transfer the whales to an overseas location.

“Allowing the request would have meant a ongoing existence in captivity and a return to display for amusement,” the minister wrote. “As Canadians, we know that marine mammals should be in the sea, not in tanks for our entertainment. I could not in clear conscience permit an export that would perpetuate the situation these belugas have experienced.”

But Burgess said the minister’s statements reflect a wider lack of awareness of the facts of living conditions for belugas living their whole lives in enclosures.

“The people needs to realize these are whales that have lived entirely in captivity and they will need human care for the foreseeable future,” she said. “Many just don’t understand that it’s not as straightforward as saying ‘close it down’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Ongoing Debate

As decision makers attempt to find a answer, suggestions have emerged, some of which have little basis in reality. One proposal called for the belugas to be released into the open waters of Canada’s north – where whales are a important part of nourishment for local populations.

A planned protected area in the province of eastern Canada, which recently received official endorsement, has proven contentious. The planned facility, which includes extensive space of enclosed sea water, remains undeveloped. Supporters remain optimistic that it could eventually represent a permanent solution for some of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among caretakers she’s consulted, there is “doubts there” about what she said is “only an untested concept” in the whales’ fate.

Others say the idea of a protected habitat reflects a changing attitudes away from animal displays and could represent a viable approach in the near future.

Charles Vinick, leader of the plan, said the location will replicate the mental engagement and nutrition the whales receive from trainers, albeit in a much larger area. He said after the well-being of whales is completely examined, which could take months|an extended period|