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Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie is an charming little “playful character”. The whale Orion – called “Onion” – is a big but very loyal companion. Zephyr has “endless energy” and moves like a worm. Lillooet the beluga is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a kind nature.

A group of thirty captive beluga whales in a Canada-based entertainment facility have become pawns in a struggle between a closed attraction, public officials and advocacy groups.

But those working directly with the whales say the heated debate over their destiny often ignores the nuances of the whales who, after growing up in enclosed habitats, have been closely studied by the humans who see them each day.

After the Canadian government prevented the sale of the belugas to a foreign facility, the struggling facility near Niagara Falls where they are kept threatened to put them down unless the government covers the upkeep of their care. The nation’s fisheries minister has denied that request, placing the thirty whales in an ever more uncertain position.

Intelligent Marine Mammals

Experts say that beluga whales’ neuroanatomy, along with their mimicry abilities, cognitive challenges and communal behavior point to they are remarkably smart mammals – something a former trainer observed directly.

She spent a significant period as a whale caretaker, a position that entailed gaining confidence of the marine predators.

“Establishing those connections over time takes a lot of dedication and a lot of love. At the start, they’re very cautious of you,” she said. “Eventually, you gain shared confidence. And they start being more open with you. It’s just so extraordinary and fulfilling.”

The trainer knew the whales were exceptionally cognitive, but she says she was nonetheless astounded by the subtleties and idiosyncrasies in their dispositions. She cultivated a particular love for two female belugas with contrasting natures.

“One whale accepted me. Cleo required effort,” she said. “Each transformed the way I perceive bonding.”

Growing Opposition and Deteriorating Conditions

Her connection with the whales developed against a backdrop of increasing societal concern to their captivity.

During her time at the attraction, seven belugas and the park’s one killer whale, the orca, died. In total, 19 belugas have died at the park since recent years, a number which the facility ascribes to natural mortality, but which campaigners say reflects the poor conditions in which they were housed.

The facility did not admit visitors to the visitors over the summer, but the former trainer says she saw with her own eyes effects of the closure. “Concrete is deteriorating from the pools because they’re degrading and not being maintained. The whales are exploratory and so they pick it up and navigate with fragments in their mouth. It’s heartbreaking to see.”

The facility did not respond to a inquiry, but in the past asserted: “The whales … receive far better medical attention and 24/7 attention than any human in the UK, or other places.”

Fate in Limbo and Proposed Solutions

Burgess was dismissed from the facility in recent months following the demise of a beluga, an ailing beluga the park staff had to humanely kill. She said the park believed details of the incident were disclosed to the news outlets and she was fired not long after.

The uncertainty over the whales’ future has left Burgess and staff members in distress. She says the park’s threat to kill its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “logistically impossible” undertaking, adding any efforts to put down even a one beluga would require “considerable personnel”, trucks and machinery.

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

Burgess advocates for calls for the whales to be removed immediately from the park, with its deteriorating pools and reduced personnel.

In late September, the nation’s government official turned down a proposal to export the whales to China.

“To approve the application would have meant a continued life in captivity and a return to public entertainment,” the minister wrote. “As society, we know that marine mammals are meant for the wild, not in tanks for our entertainment. I could not in clear conscience permit an export that would prolong the treatment these belugas have experienced.”

But the former trainer said the minister’s statements reflect a wider incorrect perception of the circumstances of living conditions for belugas raised in confinement.

“The people needs to grasp these are whales that have spent their whole lives in confinement and they will need ongoing assistance for the remainder of their lives,” she said. “People just don’t realize that it’s not as easy as saying ‘close it down’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Ongoing Debate

As authorities work to find a solution, ideas have surfaced, some of which have little basis in reality. One proposal called for the belugas to be released into the natural habitat of the Arctic – where whales are a key source of sustenance for Inuit communities.

A proposed sanctuary in the province of Nova Scotia, which recently received official endorsement, has shown to be most controversial. The prospective location, which includes extensive space of enclosed sea water, is not yet built. Proponents remain positive that it could in time represent a sustainable solution for eight of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among caretakers she’s consulted, there is “doubts there” about what she said is “only an experiment” in the whales’ future.

Different voices say the possibility of a refuge indicates a broader global shift away from animal displays and could represent a workable plan in the near future.

An official, head of the initiative, said the facility will replicate the intellectual stimulation and feeding regimen the whales obtain from caretakers, albeit in a more expansive environment. He said after the medical condition of whales is fully assessed, which could take months|an extended period|