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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie is an adorable small “playful character”. Orion – called “Onion Ring” – is a large but guardian-like companion. Zephyr has “ants in his pants” and moves like a wiggly creature. Lillooet the beluga is the “most affectionate” with a heart of gold.

A group of thirty captive marine mammals in a Canada-based entertainment facility have been entangled in a disagreement between a shuttered park, local and national governments and advocacy groups.

But those most familiar with the whales say the impassioned discussion over their destiny often fails to consider the complexities of the whales who, after living their entire lives in enclosed habitats, have been carefully observed by the people who work with them regularly.

After the federal government blocked the sale of the belugas to China, the embattled amusement park near the famous falls where they are housed threatened to euthanize them unless the government pays for the upkeep of their survival. The nation’s fisheries minister has denied that request, placing the 30 whales in an increasingly precarious circumstance.

Highly Cognitive Sea Creatures

Scientists say that belugas’ neural makeup, along with their vocal imitation skills, problem solving and group interactions indicate they are deeply intelligent mammals – something one caretaker discovered first-hand.

Burgess spent three years as a marine mammal specialist, a job that entailed earning the trust of the sea creatures.

“Establishing those bonds over time takes a lot of dedication and a lot of affection. At the beginning, they’re very unsure of you,” she said. “Over time, you gain mutual trust. And they start being more trusting with you. It’s just so magical and fulfilling.”

The trainer knew the whales were very smart, but she says she was nonetheless amazed by the details and unique traits in their personalities. She formed a deep bond for two female belugas with contrasting temperaments.

“Eve accepted me. The other required effort,” she said. “Both transformed the way I view bonding.”

Growing Opposition and Facility Decline

Burgess’s interaction with the whales progressed against a backdrop of growing public opposition to their confinement.

During her time at the facility, seven belugas and the park’s one killer whale, Kiska, succumbed. In total, 19 belugas have perished at the park since recent years, a number which the facility links to age-related causes, but which advocates say reflects the poor conditions in which they were maintained.

The park did not open to the visitors over the summer, but Burgess says she witnessed firsthand effects of the cessation. “Structural materials is deteriorating from the tanks because they’re falling apart and not being maintained. The whales are curious and so they take pieces and navigate with pieces in their jaws. It’s upsetting to see.”

The facility did not comment to a inquiry, but earlier asserted: “The whales … receive far better medical attention and constant care than any human in the Britain, or other places.”

Uncertain Future and Potential Resolutions

The former employee was fired from the park in early March following the death of Eos, an unwell beluga the employees had to humanely kill. She said the park thought particulars of the death were disclosed to the press and she was released shortly thereafter.

The ambiguity over the whales’ future has left her and staff members in distress. She says the park’s warning to euthanize its whales is a bargaining chip and is a “extremely difficult” task, adding any attempts to euthanize even a single beluga would require “significant manpower”, equipment and specialized tools.

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

Burgess supports calls for the whales to be transferred immediately from the facility, with its crumbling tanks and reduced personnel.

In late September, Canada’s fisheries minister rejected a proposal to transfer the whales to China.

“To approve the application would have meant a perpetual existence in enclosure and a return to public entertainment,” the minister wrote. “As Canadians, we know that marine mammals should be in the sea, not in enclosures for our amusement. I could not in ethical standing approve an relocation that would prolong the treatment these belugas have endured.”

But Burgess said the minister’s comments reflect a wider misunderstanding of the circumstances of living conditions for belugas raised in confinement.

“The people needs to understand these are whales that have spent their whole lives in captivity and they will need constant supervision for the remainder of their lives,” she said. “The public just don’t realize that it’s not as easy as saying ‘end operations’.”

Alternative Habitat and Continuing Discussion

As authorities work to find a answer, ideas have emerged, some of which have questionable practicality. One proposal called for the belugas to be let go into the natural habitat of Canada’s north – where whales are a primary resource of sustenance for local populations.

A proposed sanctuary in the region of eastern Canada, which recently received government approval, has proven most controversial. The planned location, which includes 100 acres of penned in ocean, doesn’t yet exist. Advocates remain optimistic that it could eventually represent a permanent answer for eight of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among caretakers she’s consulted, there is “no trust there” about what she said is “only an untested concept” in the whales’ future.

Some experts say the possibility of a protected habitat reflects a worldwide trend away from animal displays and could represent a viable solution in the near future.

An official, head of the plan, said the site will mimic the mental engagement and feeding regimen the whales receive from specialists, albeit in a significantly bigger area. He said after the medical condition of whales is completely examined, which could take months|an extended period|