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Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie is an adorable small “playful character”. Orion – called “Onion” – is a big but very loyal companion. Another whale, Zephyr has “constant motion” and moves like a worm. Lillooet is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a heart of gold.

Thirty captive beluga whales in a Canadian amusement park have become pawns in a struggle between a shuttered park, local and national governments and animal rights activists.

But those working directly with the whales say the impassioned controversy over their future often ignores the complexities of the whales who, after living their entire lives in confinement, have been carefully observed by the people who work with them regularly.

After the Canadian government disallowed the transfer of the belugas to a foreign facility, the embattled facility near the famous falls where they are housed threatened to put them down unless the federal government covers the upkeep of keeping them alive. Canada’s marine resources official has denied that ultimatum, placing the 30 whales in an dangerously unstable circumstance.

Highly Cognitive Sea Creatures

Researchers say that beluga whales’ neural makeup, along with their vocal imitation skills, cognitive challenges and group interactions suggest they are remarkably smart creatures – something Kristy Burgess discovered directly.

She spent several years as a marine mammal specialist, a role that involved building relationships of the sea creatures.

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

The trainer knew the whales were exceptionally cognitive, but she says she was nonetheless astounded by the subtleties and idiosyncrasies in their personalities. She developed a special affection for Eve and Cleopatra with opposing personalities.

“One whale chose me. The other demanded work,” she said. “Each changed the way I understand relationships.”

Public Concerns and Deteriorating Conditions

Burgess’s interaction with the whales progressed against a background of increasing societal concern to their confinement.

During her tenure at the park, seven belugas and the park’s one killer whale, the orca, passed away. In total, 19 belugas have perished at the park since recent years, a toll which the facility ascribes to age-related causes, but which advocates say indicates the inadequate care in which they were housed.

The facility did not admit visitors to the visitors over the recent season, but the former trainer says she witnessed firsthand consequences of the cessation. “Concrete is falling apart from the tanks because they’re falling apart and not being maintained. The whales are curious and so they take pieces and move about with pieces in their jaws. It’s heartbreaking to see.”

The park did not comment to a inquiry, but in the past claimed: “The whales … receive far better health care and constant attention than any person in the UK, or elsewhere.”

Fate in Limbo and Potential Resolutions

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

The ambiguity over the whales’ fate has left Burgess and other caretakers in distress. She says the facility’s threat to kill its whales is a bargaining chip and is a “practically unfeasible” endeavor, adding any plans to humanely kill even a individual beluga would require “immense staff”, trucks and machinery.

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

She advocates for calls for the whales to be transferred immediately from the park, with its crumbling tanks and reduced personnel.

In late September, the nation’s fisheries minister denied a request to export the whales to China.

“To approve the application would have meant a ongoing situation in captivity and a reversion to performance for audiences,” the official stated. “As the public, we know that marine mammals belong in the sea, not in tanks for our entertainment. I could not in good conscience authorize an relocation that would prolong the situation these belugas have experienced.”

But Burgess said the minister’s remarks reflect a more general incorrect perception of the circumstances of existence for belugas living their whole lives in enclosures.

“The public needs to grasp these are whales that have spent their whole lives in captivity and they will need human care for the remainder of their lives,” she said. “The public just don’t understand that it’s not as easy as saying ‘shut it down’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Ongoing Debate

As officials work to find a solution, suggestions have surfaced, some of which have little basis in reality. One proposal called for the belugas to be let go into the open waters of Canada’s north – where whales are a key source of nourishment for local populations.

A suggested sanctuary in the province of eastern Canada, which recently received regulatory clearance, has shown to be most controversial. The prospective site, which includes 100 acres of enclosed sea water, doesn’t yet exist. Supporters remain positive that it could ultimately represent a sustainable solution for eight of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among staff she’s spoken with, there is “no trust there” about what she said is “only an untested concept” in the whales’ fate.

Some experts say the prospect of a sanctuary reflects a worldwide trend away from captive facilities and could represent a feasible solution in the short term.

Charles Vinick, director of the plan, said the site will simulate the mental engagement and nutrition the whales receive from specialists, albeit in a more expansive space. He said after the health of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|