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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie is an adorable small “ham sandwich”. Orion – nicknamed “Onion Ring” – is a large but guardian-like friend. Zephyr has “endless energy” and sways like a wiggly creature. Lillooet is the “most affectionate” with a kind nature.

Thirty captive beluga whales in a Canadian amusement park have been entangled in a tussle between a shuttered park, public officials and advocacy groups.

But those most familiar with the whales say the heated debate over their future often overlooks the individual traits of the whales who, after growing up in captivity, have been carefully observed by the humans who interact with them daily.

After the Canadian government prevented the sale of the belugas to China, the struggling amusement park near the famous falls where they are held warned to put them down unless the government funds the cost of their care. Canada’s marine resources official has rejected that demand, placing the thirty whales in an increasingly precarious circumstance.

Intelligent Marine Mammals

Experts say that beluga whales’ neuroanatomy, along with their sound replication, cognitive challenges and social skills point to they are deeply intelligent creatures – something a former trainer discovered first-hand.

Burgess spent a significant period as a marine mammal specialist, a job that involved gaining confidence of the aquatic animals.

“Establishing those relationships over time takes a lot of regularity and a lot of affection. At the beginning, they’re very cautious of you,” she said. “In time, you gain reciprocal understanding. And they start being more vulnerable with you. It’s just so magical and gratifying.”

Burgess knew the whales were very smart, but she says she was nonetheless amazed by the nuances and idiosyncrasies in their characters. She formed a particular love for two female belugas with opposing temperaments.

“Eve accepted me. The other made me earn it,” she said. “They changed the way I perceive relationships.”

Growing Opposition and Facility Decline

Burgess’s connection with the whales progressed against a context of increasing societal concern to their captivity.

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

The facility did not open to the public over the recent season, but the former trainer says she saw with her own eyes effects of the shutdown. “Concrete is falling apart from the pools because they’re degrading and not being repaired. The whales are exploratory and so they pick it up and navigate with chunks in their jaws. It’s distressing to see.”

The park did not respond to a inquiry, but earlier claimed: “The whales … obtain far superior health care and 24/7 supervision than any person in the Britain, or elsewhere.”

Fate in Limbo and Potential Resolutions

The former employee was fired from the park in the spring following the demise of Eos, an unwell beluga the employees had to humanely kill. She said the facility suspected information of the death were disclosed to the press and she was fired soon after.

The uncertainty over the whales’ outcome has left her and staff members in despair. She says the park’s warning to kill its whales is a leverage tool and is a “practically unfeasible” task, adding any plans to euthanize even a one beluga would require “considerable staff”, vehicles and specialized tools.

“It cannot happen in hell the caretakers would ever do it,” she said.

Burgess backs requests for the whales to be removed promptly from the facility, with its failing enclosures and dwindling staff.

In the autumn, the nation’s government official rejected a bid to transfer the whales to China.

“Allowing the proposal would have meant a continued life in captivity and a return to performance for audiences,” the minister commented. “As society, we know that whales should be in the wild, not in tanks 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 official’s remarks reveal a more general incorrect perception of the realities of living conditions for belugas living their whole lives in enclosures.

“The people needs to realize these are whales that have lived entirely in confinement and they will need human care for the remainder of their lives,” she said. “The public just don’t comprehend that it’s not as straightforward as saying ‘close it down’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Continuing Discussion

As officials attempt to find a resolution, suggestions have been put forward, some of which have questionable practicality. A suggested plan called for the belugas to be released into the open waters of northern regions – where whales are a primary resource of food for Indigenous peoples.

A proposed sanctuary in the region of Nova Scotia, which recently received official endorsement, has been highly debated. The planned location, which includes a large area of enclosed sea water, is not yet built. Proponents remain hopeful that it could in time represent a long term resolution for a number of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among trainers she’s consulted, there is “doubts there” about what she said is “merely an experiment” in the whales’ future.

Different voices say the prospect of a sanctuary reflects a changing attitudes away from zoos and aquariums and could represent a feasible plan in the short term.

The project lead, director of the plan, said the location will replicate the mental engagement and diet the whales obtain from specialists, albeit in a significantly bigger environment. He said after the health of whales is completely examined, which could take months|an extended period|