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Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie is an charming small “sweetheart”. The whale Orion – nicknamed “Onion Ring” – is a big but guardian-like friend. Zephyr has “endless energy” and wiggles like a worm. Lillooet the beluga is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a heart of gold.

Thirty enclosed beluga whales in a Canada-based entertainment facility have become pawns in a disagreement between a closed attraction, government authorities and animal rights activists.

But those most familiar with the whales say the intense controversy over their future often overlooks the complexities of the whales who, after spending their lives in enclosed habitats, have been closely studied by the caretakers who interact with them daily.

After the Canadian government disallowed the sale of the belugas to a foreign facility, the struggling facility near the famous falls where they are held stated it would consider to put them down unless the federal government funds the upkeep of their survival. Canada’s fisheries minister has denied that demand, placing the 30 whales in an increasingly precarious circumstance.

Highly Cognitive Marine Mammals

Scientists say that belugas’ neuroanatomy, along with their mimicry abilities, intellectual tasks and communal behavior point to they are highly cognitive creatures – something one caretaker learned first-hand.

She spent a significant period as a whale caretaker, a job that involved earning the trust of the sea creatures.

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

The trainer knew the whales were exceptionally cognitive, but she says she was even so astounded by the details and quirks in their characters. She developed a special affection for two female belugas with contrasting temperaments.

“Eve chose me. Cleo demanded work,” she said. “Each altered the way I understand connection.”

Growing Opposition and Deteriorating Conditions

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

During her tenure at the facility, seven belugas and the park’s one killer whale, the orca, succumbed. In all, 19 belugas have perished at the park since recent years, a number which the park attributes to expected lifespan, but which advocates say points to the substandard environment in which they were kept.

The park did not admit visitors to the guests over the recent season, but the former trainer says she saw with her own eyes results of the shutdown. “Concrete is breaking off from the tanks because they’re degrading and not being repaired. The whales are exploratory and so they take pieces and navigate with fragments in their jaws. It’s distressing to see.”

The park did not respond to a request for comment, but earlier claimed: “The whales … receive far higher quality medical attention and constant supervision than any individual in the Britain, or elsewhere.”

Fate in Limbo and Potential Resolutions

Burgess was fired from the facility in early March following the death of a beluga, an ailing beluga the caretakers had to euthanize. She said the park believed information of the incident were leaked to the news outlets and she was released soon after.

The uncertainty over the whales’ future has left her and staff members in distress. She says the park’s threat to euthanize its whales is a bargaining chip and is a “practically unfeasible” task, adding any efforts to put down even a one beluga would require “significant manpower”, vehicles and specialized tools.

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

She advocates for requests for the whales to be removed promptly from the facility, with its deteriorating pools and reduced personnel.

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

“Allowing the request would have meant a perpetual situation in captivity and a return to display for amusement,” the official stated. “As the public, we know that belugas belong in the ocean, not in tanks for our entertainment. I could not in ethical standing permit an transfer that would continue the conditions these belugas have experienced.”

But the former trainer said the minister’s remarks indicate a broader incorrect perception of the realities of living conditions for belugas raised in confinement.

“The people needs to understand these are whales that have lived entirely in enclosed habitats and they will need ongoing assistance for the rest of their years,” she said. “Many just don’t understand that it’s not as easy as saying ‘shut it down’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Continuing Discussion

As authorities struggle to find a resolution, ideas have surfaced, some of which have little basis in reality. An idea called for the belugas to be released into the natural habitat of Canada’s north – where whales are a important part of food for Indigenous peoples.

A planned refuge in the region of eastern Canada, which now received official endorsement, has shown to be most controversial. The future facility, which includes a large area of enclosed sea water, is not yet built. Proponents remain optimistic that it could eventually represent a long term answer for a number of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among staff she’s spoken with, there is “no trust there” about what she said is “merely an untested concept” in the whales’ well-being.

Some experts say the prospect of a protected habitat indicates a changing attitudes away from animal displays and could represent a feasible solution in the near future.

Charles Vinick, director of the plan, said the facility will mimic the intellectual stimulation and nutrition the whales receive from caretakers, albeit in a significantly bigger space. He said after the medical condition of whales is completely examined, which could take months|an extended period|