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Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie is an charming small “ham sandwich”. Orion – called “Onion Ring” – is a sizeable but guardian-like friend. Another whale, Zephyr has “endless energy” and moves like a worm. Lillooet the beluga is the “most affectionate” with a heart of gold.

Thirty captive beluga whales in a Canada-based entertainment facility have been entangled in a tussle between a defunct facility, public officials and advocacy groups.

But those most familiar with the whales say the intense controversy over their destiny often ignores the complexities of the whales who, after growing up in confinement, have been carefully observed by the people who work with them regularly.

After the national authorities blocked the transfer of the belugas to a foreign facility, the controversial facility near the famous falls where they are kept stated it would consider to put them down unless the federal government covers the cost of their survival. Canada’s fisheries minister has refused that ultimatum, placing the 30 whales in an ever more uncertain position.

Intelligent Sea Creatures

Researchers say that beluga whales’ neuroanatomy, along with their vocal imitation skills, cognitive challenges and social skills suggest they are remarkably smart mammals – something Kristy Burgess observed personally.

Burgess spent a significant period as a beluga trainer, a job that involved gaining confidence of the marine predators.

“Building up those connections over time takes a lot of regularity and a lot of love. At the outset, they’re very wary of you,” she said. “Eventually, you gain shared confidence. And they start being more open with you. It’s just so magical and fulfilling.”

Burgess knew the whales were exceptionally cognitive, but she says she was nonetheless astounded by the subtleties and idiosyncrasies in their dispositions. She developed a particular love for Eve and Cleopatra with different personalities.

“Eve chose me. The other demanded work,” she said. “Both transformed the way I understand bonding.”

Public Concerns and Deteriorating Conditions

Burgess’s connection with the whales developed against a context of rising activist criticism to their enclosure.

During her three years at the facility, multiple belugas and the park’s single killer whale, the orca, passed away. In all, 19 belugas have perished at the park since recent years, a toll which the park links to expected lifespan, but which campaigners say reflects the substandard environment in which they were housed.

The park did not admit visitors to the public over the summer, but Burgess says she saw with her own eyes consequences of the shutdown. “Concrete is falling apart from the enclosures because they’re falling apart and not being fixed. The whales are exploratory and so they take pieces and move about with pieces in their jaws. It’s heartbreaking to see.”

The facility did not reply to a questionnaire, but earlier claimed: “The whales … get far superior veterinary services and around the clock care than any human in the United Kingdom, or elsewhere.”

Uncertain Future and Potential Resolutions

Burgess was fired from the facility in recent months following the demise of a beluga, an unwell beluga the employees had to put down. She said the park suspected details of the incident were shared to the media and she was fired not long after.

The lack of clarity over the whales’ fate has left Burgess and other caretakers in distress. She says the park’s ultimatum to euthanize its whales is a bargaining chip and is a “logistically impossible” undertaking, adding any attempts to euthanize even a individual beluga would require “considerable manpower”, equipment and specialized tools.

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

Burgess supports calls for the whales to be transferred right away from the park, with its crumbling tanks and reduced personnel.

In late September, Canada’s government official turned down a proposal to export the whales to an overseas location.

“To approve the proposal would have meant a continued situation in captivity and a return to display for amusement,” the official commented. “As society, we know that whales belong in the wild, not in enclosures for our enjoyment. I could not in ethical standing approve an relocation that would continue the treatment these belugas have experienced.”

But the former trainer said the minister’s statements indicate a more general misunderstanding of the facts of life for belugas raised in confinement.

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

Sanctuary Proposal and Ongoing Debate

As officials struggle to find a solution, suggestions have emerged, some of which have little basis in reality. A suggested plan called for the belugas to be let go into the open waters of northern regions – where whales are a important part of food for Inuit communities.

A proposed sanctuary in the region of Nova Scotia, which recently received government approval, has been highly debated. The prospective site, which includes 100 acres of enclosed sea water, doesn’t yet exist. Supporters remain positive that it could ultimately represent a long term resolution for eight of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among staff she’s consulted, there is “skepticism there” about what she said is “only an trial” in the whales’ fate.

Some experts say the idea of a refuge represents a changing attitudes away from animal displays and could represent a viable approach in the near future.

An official, leader of the sanctuary project, said the facility will replicate the cognitive activities and diet the whales get from trainers, albeit in a much larger space. He said after the well-being of whales is fully assessed, which could take months|an extended period|