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Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie is an charming little “playful character”. The whale Orion – nicknamed “Onion Ring” – is a big but guardian-like companion. Zephyr has “endless energy” and sways like a worm. Lillooet is the “loving presence” with a kind nature.

Thirty enclosed beluga whales in a Canadian entertainment facility have been entangled in a disagreement between a closed attraction, government authorities and welfare campaigners.

But those most familiar with the whales say the intense discussion over their destiny 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 national authorities blocked the sale of the belugas to China, the struggling facility near the famous falls where they are housed threatened to put them down unless the authorities covers the upkeep of their survival. The nation’s marine resources official has rejected that demand, placing the thirty whales in an ever more uncertain position.

Intelligent Marine Mammals

Researchers say that beluga whales’ neuroanatomy, along with their mimicry abilities, cognitive challenges and social skills indicate they are highly cognitive animals – something a former trainer learned personally.

She spent a significant period as a marine mammal specialist, a position that involved building relationships of the sea creatures.

“Building up those bonds over time takes a lot of regularity and a lot of affection. At the beginning, they’re very cautious of you,” she said. “Eventually, you gain shared confidence. And they start being more trusting with you. It’s just so wonderful and fulfilling.”

The trainer knew the whales were highly intelligent, but she says she was even so astounded by the details and idiosyncrasies in their characters. She cultivated a deep bond for Eve and Cleopatra with contrasting temperaments.

“Eve selected me. Cleo required effort,” she said. “Each changed the way I perceive bonding.”

Growing Opposition and Facility Decline

Burgess’s interaction with the whales progressed against a backdrop of rising activist criticism to their confinement.

During her time at the facility, multiple belugas and the park’s one orca, the orca, died. In total, nineteen belugas have died at the park since recent years, a statistic which the park links to expected lifespan, but which activists say reflects the inadequate care in which they were maintained.

The facility did not admit visitors to the visitors over the recent season, but the former trainer says she observed directly effects of the shutdown. “Concrete is breaking off from the tanks because they’re falling apart and not being fixed. The whales are exploratory and so they pick it up and swim around with fragments in their mouth. It’s distressing to see.”

The park did not comment to a inquiry, but previously stated: “The whales … get far higher quality medical attention and 24/7 supervision than any human in the United Kingdom, or other places.”

Uncertain Future and Potential Resolutions

The former employee was dismissed from the park in recent months following the death of a beluga, an sick beluga the park staff had to put down. She said the park believed details of the death were shared to the news outlets and she was let go not long after.

The uncertainty over the whales’ outcome has left her and staff members in distress. She says the park’s threat to end the lives of its whales is a bargaining chip and is a “practically unfeasible” undertaking, adding any attempts to put down even a single beluga would require “significant manpower”, vehicles and heavy equipment.

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

She backs calls for the whales to be transferred promptly from the park, with its failing enclosures and dwindling staff.

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

“Allowing the application would have meant a ongoing existence in confinement and a reversion to display for amusement,” the official wrote. “As society, we know that whales should be in the wild, not in tanks for our entertainment. I could not in clear conscience authorize an relocation that would prolong the treatment these belugas have experienced.”

But the former trainer said the official’s statements indicate a broader incorrect perception of the circumstances of existence for belugas born in captivity.

“The people needs to realize these are whales that have spent their whole lives in captivity and they will need ongoing assistance for the rest of their years,” she said. “The public just don’t realize that it’s not as easy as saying ‘close it down’.”

Alternative Habitat and Ongoing Debate

As authorities attempt to find a solution, ideas have emerged, some of which have minimal feasibility. One proposal called for the belugas to be let go into the wilds of northern regions – where whales are a important part of nourishment for Indigenous peoples.

A suggested sanctuary in the province of Nova Scotia, which has received government approval, has proven highly debated. The future facility, which includes extensive space of protected cove, doesn’t yet exist. Advocates remain positive that it could in time represent a sustainable resolution for some of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among staff she’s consulted, there is “doubts there” about what she said is “simply an untested concept” in the whales’ well-being.

Others say the possibility of a refuge reflects a changing attitudes away from captive facilities and could represent a workable plan in the short term.

An official, head of the plan, said the location will replicate the cognitive activities and feeding regimen the whales get from specialists, albeit in a more expansive environment. He said after the medical condition of whales is fully assessed, which could take months|an extended period|