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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie is an charming small “ham sandwich”. Orion – called “Onion Ring” – is a large but fiercely protective friend. Zephyr has “constant motion” and wiggles like a worm. Lillooet is the “most affectionate” with a gentle spirit.

Thirty enclosed beluga whales in a Canadian entertainment facility have been caught in a struggle between a shuttered park, local and national governments and welfare campaigners.

But those working directly with the whales say the heated discussion over their future often fails to consider the complexities of the whales who, after living their entire lives in captivity, have been closely studied by the caretakers who see them each day.

After the federal government prevented the export of the belugas to China, the embattled attraction near Niagara Falls where they are kept threatened to put them down unless the federal government funds the cost of their care. Canada’s fisheries minister has denied that demand, placing the 30 whales in an dangerously unstable situation.

Intelligent Marine Mammals

Researchers say that belugas’ brain structure, along with their mimicry abilities, cognitive challenges and social skills indicate they are highly cognitive mammals – something a former trainer observed personally.

Burgess spent a significant period as a whale caretaker, a job that entailed earning the trust of the aquatic animals.

“Establishing those relationships over time takes a lot of consistency and a lot of affection. At the outset, they’re very unsure of you,” she said. “Over time, you gain shared confidence. And they start being more open with you. It’s just so magical and rewarding.”

The trainer knew the whales were exceptionally cognitive, but she says she was nonetheless amazed by the nuances and idiosyncrasies in their dispositions. She developed a deep bond for a pair of whales with opposing temperaments.

“One whale accepted me. The other made me earn it,” she said. “They changed the way I view connection.”

Public Concerns and Facility Decline

Her interaction with the whales progressed against a backdrop of growing public opposition to their enclosure.

During her three years at the facility, multiple belugas and the park’s one killer whale, the orca, succumbed. In all, nineteen belugas have perished at the park since recent years, a number which the park attributes to age-related causes, but which activists say reflects the inadequate care in which they were kept.

The park did not operate to the visitors over the summer, but the former trainer says she observed directly results of the shutdown. “Structural materials is deteriorating from the pools because they’re degrading and not being maintained. The whales are curious and so they grab fragments and move about with fragments in their jaws. It’s distressing to see.”

The facility did not comment to a questionnaire, but previously claimed: “The whales … receive far higher quality health care and constant attention than any individual in the UK, or other places.”

Uncertain Future and Potential Resolutions

The former employee was terminated from the park in the spring following the passing of Eos, an sick beluga the caretakers had to humanely kill. She said the park believed information of the death were leaked to the press and she was released not long after.

The uncertainty over the whales’ future has left her and current and former trainers in anguish. She says the facility’s warning to euthanize its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “logistically impossible” task, adding any efforts to humanely kill even a one beluga would require “significant staff”, vehicles and heavy equipment.

“It’s impossible in hell the employees would ever do it,” she said.

Burgess supports requests for the whales to be transferred right away from the park, with its deteriorating pools and reduced personnel.

In the autumn, Canada’s fisheries minister denied a proposal to send the whales to China.

“Granting the application would have meant a continued situation in captivity and a reversion to display for amusement,” the official stated. “As Canadians, we know that marine mammals are meant for the ocean, not in tanks for our enjoyment. I could not in ethical standing approve an transfer that would continue the treatment these belugas have experienced.”

But the former trainer said the official’s comments reveal a wider misunderstanding of the facts of living conditions for belugas living their whole lives in enclosures.

“The public needs to realize these are whales that have existed solely 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 ‘close it down’.”

Alternative Habitat and Ongoing Debate

As authorities struggle to find a answer, proposals have emerged, some of which have questionable practicality. A suggested plan called for the belugas to be released into the open waters of the Arctic – where whales are a key source of nourishment for Inuit communities.

A suggested sanctuary in the province of Nova Scotia, which recently received government approval, has proven most controversial. The future location, which includes a large area of enclosed sea water, is not yet built. Supporters remain optimistic that it could eventually represent a sustainable answer for a number of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among caretakers she’s discussed with, there is “no trust there” about what she said is “simply an untested concept” in the whales’ well-being.

Others say the prospect of a sanctuary indicates a changing attitudes away from captive facilities and could represent a workable solution in the near future.

Charles Vinick, head of the sanctuary project, said the location will replicate the cognitive activities and nutrition 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|