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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie is an adorable small “sweetheart”. The whale Orion – nicknamed “Onion Ring” – is a big but fiercely protective friend. Zephyr has “endless energy” and moves like a wiggly creature. Lillooet the beluga is the “loving presence” with a heart of gold.

A group of thirty captive beluga whales in a Canada-based amusement park have become pawns in a disagreement between a defunct facility, local and national governments and welfare campaigners.

But those working directly with the whales say the intense debate over their destiny often ignores the individual traits of the whales who, after growing up in captivity, have been closely studied by the people who work with them regularly.

After the national authorities prevented the transfer of the belugas to China, the embattled attraction near the famous falls where they are held stated it would consider to euthanize them unless the government covers the upkeep of their care. The nation’s marine resources official has rejected that demand, placing the thirty whales in an increasingly precarious circumstance.

Highly Cognitive Marine Mammals

Researchers say that belugas’ neuroanatomy, along with their vocal imitation skills, problem solving and communal behavior suggest they are highly cognitive creatures – something a former trainer discovered directly.

She spent three years as a beluga trainer, a position that involved earning the trust of the marine predators.

“Developing those relationships over time takes a lot of regularity and a lot of care. At the beginning, they’re very cautious of you,” she said. “Over time, you gain shared confidence. And they start being more vulnerable with you. It’s just so extraordinary and fulfilling.”

The trainer knew the whales were very smart, but she says she was nevertheless astounded by the nuances and quirks in their personalities. She formed a particular love for a pair of whales with opposing natures.

“One whale accepted me. The other demanded work,” she said. “They transformed the way I view bonding.”

Growing Opposition and Facility Decline

Her relationship with the whales progressed against a context of growing public opposition to their enclosure.

During her time at the attraction, seven belugas and the park’s one killer whale, the orca, died. In total, nineteen belugas have died at the park since recent years, a statistic which the facility ascribes to age-related causes, but which advocates say indicates the inadequate care in which they were kept.

The facility did not admit visitors to the visitors over the summer, but the former trainer says she saw with her own eyes consequences of the cessation. “Structural materials is deteriorating from the enclosures because they’re in disrepair and not being repaired. The whales are curious and so they pick it up and navigate with chunks in their jaws. It’s upsetting to see.”

The park did not reply to a request for comment, but earlier claimed: “The whales … get far superior medical attention and 24/7 care than any individual in the Britain, or elsewhere.”

Fate in Limbo and Proposed Solutions

The former employee was terminated from the facility in early March following the demise of Eos, an ailing beluga the employees had to humanely kill. She said the park thought particulars of the incident were disclosed to the media and she was released soon after.

The lack of clarity over the whales’ future has left Burgess and other caretakers in despair. She says the park’s ultimatum to kill its whales is a bargaining chip and is a “practically unfeasible” task, adding any efforts to put down even a individual beluga would require “immense personnel”, vehicles and specialized tools.

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

Burgess backs requests for the whales to be removed promptly from the park, with its deteriorating pools and shrinking team.

In late September, Canada’s government official denied a bid to transfer the whales to an overseas location.

“To approve the application would have meant a ongoing existence in confinement and a return to display for amusement,” the minister commented. “As Canadians, we know that whales are meant for the sea, not in enclosures for our enjoyment. I could not in good conscience permit an transfer that would prolong the conditions these belugas have experienced.”

But Burgess said the minister’s statements reflect a more general incorrect perception of the facts of living conditions for belugas born in captivity.

“The society needs to realize these are whales that have spent their whole lives in captivity and they will need ongoing assistance for the rest of their years,” she said. “People just don’t understand that it’s not as simple as saying ‘end operations’.”

Alternative Habitat and Continuing Discussion

As authorities work to find a resolution, proposals have emerged, some of which have questionable practicality. An idea called for the belugas to be released into the wilds of Canada’s north – where whales are a key source of food for Inuit communities.

A planned refuge in the province of eastern Canada, which has received regulatory clearance, has been highly debated. The prospective location, which includes a large area of protected cove, is not yet built. Supporters remain positive that it could in time represent a long term solution for a number of the whales.

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

Others say the idea of a refuge represents a changing attitudes away from captive facilities and could represent a feasible plan in the short term.

Charles Vinick, head of the initiative, said the location will mimic the intellectual stimulation and feeding regimen the whales receive from caretakers, albeit in a much larger environment. He said after the well-being of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|