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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie is an adorable little “playful character”. Orion – called “Onion Ring” – is a large but very loyal companion. Another whale, Zephyr has “constant motion” and wiggles like a wiggly creature. Lillooet the beluga is the “most affectionate” with a kind nature.

A group of thirty enclosed beluga whales in a Canadian amusement park have been caught in a struggle between a shuttered park, government authorities and advocacy groups.

But those closest to the whales say the impassioned debate over their fate often fails to consider the individual traits of the whales who, after growing up in captivity, have been carefully observed by the humans who work with them regularly.

After the Canadian government prevented the transfer of the belugas to China, the struggling amusement park near the famous falls where they are housed threatened to end their lives unless the authorities funds the upkeep of keeping them alive. The nation’s marine resources official has rejected that ultimatum, placing the 30 whales in an dangerously unstable situation.

Highly Cognitive Marine Mammals

Experts say that beluga whales’ neural makeup, along with their mimicry abilities, problem solving and social skills suggest they are highly cognitive creatures – something a former trainer observed first-hand.

Burgess spent several years as a beluga trainer, a job that entailed earning the trust of the aquatic animals.

“Developing those relationships over time takes a lot of dedication and a lot of love. At the beginning, they’re very unsure of you,” she said. “In time, you gain mutual trust. And they start being more trusting with you. It’s just so extraordinary and gratifying.”

The trainer knew the whales were highly intelligent, but she says she was nonetheless astounded by the details and quirks in their personalities. She formed a deep bond for two female belugas with different temperaments.

“One whale selected me. The other required effort,” she said. “Both transformed the way I perceive bonding.”

Public Concerns and Deteriorating Conditions

Burgess’s relationship with the whales progressed against a background of rising activist criticism to their confinement.

During her time at the park, multiple belugas and the park’s single orca, Kiska, died. In total, 19 belugas have died at the park since recent years, a statistic which the facility links to natural mortality, but which advocates say points to the inadequate care in which they were kept.

The facility did not admit visitors to the guests over the summer, but Burgess says she witnessed firsthand results of the cessation. “Concrete is breaking off from the pools because they’re in disrepair and not being repaired. The whales are curious and so they grab fragments and swim around with chunks in their jaws. It’s heartbreaking to see.”

The park did not respond to a inquiry, but in the past stated: “The whales … obtain far superior veterinary services and constant attention than any human in the Britain, or anywhere else.”

Uncertain Future and Potential Resolutions

The former employee was dismissed from the park in the spring following the demise of Eos, an ailing beluga the employees had to humanely kill. She said the facility suspected particulars of the incident were leaked to the news outlets and she was let go not long after.

The lack of clarity over the whales’ fate has left her and current and former trainers in despair. She says the facility’s ultimatum 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 “immense staff”, vehicles and specialized tools.

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

She supports requests for the whales to be removed right away from the facility, with its deteriorating pools and shrinking team.

In late September, the nation’s fisheries minister rejected a bid to send the whales to an overseas location.

“Granting the proposal would have meant a ongoing life in confinement and a reversion to performance for audiences,” the official commented. “As society, we know that belugas belong in the wild, not in pools for our amusement. I could not in good conscience approve an transfer that would prolong the treatment these belugas have experienced.”

But the former trainer said the minister’s remarks reflect a more general lack of awareness of the realities of life for belugas raised in confinement.

“The people needs to realize these are whales that have spent their whole lives in captivity and they will need human care for the rest of their years,” she said. “Many just don’t understand that it’s not as straightforward as saying ‘close it down’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Continuing Discussion

As decision makers struggle to find a resolution, ideas have been put forward, some of which have questionable practicality. An idea called for the belugas to be let go into the wilds of the Arctic – where whales are a primary resource of sustenance for local populations.

A proposed protected area in the region of eastern Canada, which has received government approval, has proven contentious. The prospective facility, which includes 100 acres of penned in ocean, is not yet built. Supporters remain positive that it could ultimately represent a permanent solution for some of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among caretakers she’s discussed with, there is “skepticism there” about what she said is “merely an untested concept” in the whales’ fate.

Others say the idea of a refuge reflects a worldwide trend away from animal displays and could represent a workable approach in the coming months.

Charles Vinick, leader of the initiative, said the site will replicate the mental engagement and nutrition the whales obtain from caretakers, albeit in a significantly bigger space. He said after the medical condition of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|