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Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie is an adorable small “sweetheart”. The whale Orion – nicknamed “Onion Ring” – is a big but guardian-like friend. Zephyr has “ants in his pants” and moves like a wiggly creature. Lillooet the beluga is the “loving presence” with a kind nature.

Thirty captive beluga whales in a Canadian amusement park have become pawns in a struggle between a defunct facility, government authorities and welfare campaigners.

But those closest to the whales say the intense controversy over their future often overlooks the nuances of the whales who, after growing up in captivity, have been carefully observed by the caretakers who see them each day.

After the federal government prevented the sale of the belugas to a foreign facility, the struggling attraction near the famous falls where they are held stated it would consider to euthanize them unless the federal government pays for the cost of their survival. Canada’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’ brain structure, along with their mimicry abilities, problem solving and social skills point to they are deeply intelligent creatures – something a former trainer observed directly.

Burgess spent three years as a whale caretaker, a role that entailed earning the trust of the marine predators.

“Building up those bonds over time takes a lot of dedication and a lot of love. At the outset, they’re very wary 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 very smart, but she says she was even so amazed by the nuances and quirks in their dispositions. She formed a particular love for a pair of whales with opposing natures.

“One whale selected me. Cleo made me earn it,” she said. “They altered the way I view bonding.”

Public Concerns and Facility Decline

Her interaction with the whales progressed against a background of growing public opposition to their confinement.

During her time at the park, multiple belugas and the park’s single orca, the orca, died. In all, nineteen belugas have perished at the park since recent years, a statistic which the park attributes to age-related causes, but which campaigners say reflects the poor conditions in which they were housed.

The park did not operate to the public over the summer, but the former trainer says she saw with her own eyes results of the shutdown. “Concrete is falling apart from the tanks because they’re degrading and not being repaired. The whales are exploratory and so they pick it up and swim around with pieces in their mouth. It’s heartbreaking to see.”

The facility did not reply to a request for comment, but in the past asserted: “The whales … receive far higher quality health care and 24/7 attention than any person in the Britain, or anywhere else.”

Fate in Limbo and Potential Resolutions

Burgess was dismissed from the facility in recent months following the demise of Eos, an ailing beluga the caretakers had to humanely kill. She said the facility believed information of the death were disclosed to the media and she was let go not long after.

The uncertainty over the whales’ future has left Burgess and staff members in despair. She says the facility’s warning to euthanize its whales is a bargaining chip and is a “extremely difficult” task, adding any plans to humanely kill even a one beluga would require “significant personnel”, trucks and specialized tools.

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

Burgess advocates for demands for the whales to be taken right away from the park, with its deteriorating pools and reduced personnel.

In recent months, the nation’s government official rejected a request to send the whales to an overseas location.

“Granting the request would have meant a continued situation in enclosure and a return to public entertainment,” the official stated. “As the public, we know that whales belong in the ocean, not in pools for our enjoyment. I could not in ethical standing approve an export that would perpetuate the treatment these belugas have endured.”

But the former trainer said the minister’s statements reveal a broader incorrect perception of the facts of life for belugas born in captivity.

“The people needs to understand these are whales that have existed solely in confinement and they will need ongoing assistance for the foreseeable future,” she said. “Many just don’t understand that it’s not as easy as saying ‘end operations’.”

Alternative Habitat and Ongoing Debate

As decision makers struggle to find a solution, ideas have surfaced, some of which have minimal feasibility. One proposal called for the belugas to be let go into the open waters of Canada’s north – where whales are a important part of nourishment for Inuit communities.

A planned refuge in the province of eastern Canada, which now received regulatory clearance, has proven contentious. The prospective location, which includes extensive space of penned in ocean, is not yet built. Proponents remain hopeful that it could ultimately represent a sustainable resolution for eight of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among staff she’s spoken with, there is “skepticism there” about what she said is “merely an trial” in the whales’ well-being.

Others say the prospect of a refuge indicates a worldwide trend away from captive facilities and could represent a workable plan in the short term.

Charles Vinick, director of the sanctuary project, said the facility will mimic the intellectual stimulation and feeding regimen the whales get from trainers, albeit in a more expansive area. He said after the medical condition of whales is fully assessed, which could take months|an extended period|