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Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie is an adorable small “playful character”. The whale Orion – nicknamed “Onion Ring” – is a sizeable but fiercely protective friend. Another whale, Zephyr has “constant motion” and sways like a wiggly creature. Lillooet the beluga is the “loving presence” with a heart of gold.

A group of thirty enclosed marine mammals in a Canadian entertainment facility have been caught in a tussle between a closed attraction, government authorities and welfare campaigners.

But those most familiar with the whales say the intense controversy over their future often fails to consider the nuances of the whales who, after living their entire lives in captivity, have been thoroughly researched by the humans who see them each day.

After the federal government prevented the transfer of the belugas to China, the controversial amusement park near Niagara Falls where they are held stated it would consider to euthanize them unless the government funds the cost of their survival. Canada’s fisheries minister has refused that demand, placing the thirty whales in an ever more uncertain circumstance.

Highly Cognitive Marine Mammals

Scientists say that belugas’ brain structure, along with their sound replication, problem solving and social skills suggest they are remarkably smart creatures – something Kristy Burgess observed first-hand.

Burgess spent a significant period as a beluga trainer, a job that entailed gaining confidence of the aquatic animals.

“Building up those bonds over time takes a lot of consistency and a lot of care. At the outset, they’re very wary of you,” she said. “Eventually, you gain shared confidence. And they start being more trusting with you. It’s just so extraordinary and gratifying.”

The trainer knew the whales were exceptionally cognitive, but she says she was even so surprised by the nuances and idiosyncrasies in their dispositions. She formed a special affection for a pair of whales with opposing natures.

“Eve selected me. Cleo demanded work,” she said. “They changed the way I understand relationships.”

Growing Opposition and Deteriorating Conditions

Her relationship with the whales progressed against a backdrop of increasing societal concern to their confinement.

During her time at the park, multiple belugas and the park’s one killer whale, the orca, succumbed. In total, nineteen belugas have died at the park since recent years, a toll which the park links to natural mortality, but which activists say reflects the substandard environment in which they were maintained.

The facility did not operate to the guests over the recent season, but the former trainer says she saw with her own eyes effects of the shutdown. “Structural materials is breaking off from the pools because they’re falling apart and not being repaired. The whales are inquisitive and so they grab fragments and move about with fragments in their mouth. It’s heartbreaking to see.”

The facility did not respond to a questionnaire, but in the past claimed: “The whales … get far higher quality veterinary services and constant care than any human in the UK, or other places.”

Fate in Limbo and Potential Resolutions

The former employee was terminated from the park in early March following the demise of a beluga, an sick beluga the park staff had to humanely kill. She said the park believed particulars of the incident were disclosed to the press and she was fired shortly thereafter.

The uncertainty over the whales’ future has left Burgess and staff members in distress. She says the park’s ultimatum to euthanize its whales is a bargaining chip and is a “practically unfeasible” endeavor, adding any efforts to humanely kill even a single beluga would require “considerable staff”, equipment and specialized tools.

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

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

In late September, Canada’s fisheries minister turned down a proposal to export the whales to China.

“To approve the request would have meant a perpetual situation in enclosure and a return to public entertainment,” the minister stated. “As the public, we know that whales belong in the wild, not in tanks for our enjoyment. I could not in ethical standing permit an export that would perpetuate the treatment these belugas have endured.”

But the former trainer said the official’s remarks reflect a broader lack of awareness of the realities 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 confinement and they will need ongoing assistance for the foreseeable future,” she said. “People just don’t understand that it’s not as straightforward as saying ‘end operations’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Continuing Discussion

As decision makers work to find a answer, proposals have surfaced, some of which have minimal feasibility. An idea called for the belugas to be freed into the wilds of the Arctic – where whales are a important part of food for Inuit communities.

A planned sanctuary in the province of eastern Canada, which now received regulatory clearance, has shown to be highly debated. The planned site, which includes a large area of enclosed sea water, doesn’t yet exist. Advocates remain hopeful that it could eventually represent a permanent solution for eight of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among caretakers she’s spoken with, there is “doubts there” about what she said is “only an trial” in the whales’ well-being.

Others say the possibility of a refuge represents a broader global shift away from animal displays and could represent a workable approach in the coming months.

Charles Vinick, director of the sanctuary project, said the facility will replicate the intellectual stimulation and diet the whales get from trainers, albeit in a much larger environment. He said after the well-being of whales is fully assessed, which could take months|an extended period|