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Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie is an charming little “sweetheart”. Orion – nicknamed “Onion” – is a big but fiercely protective companion. Another whale, Zephyr has “endless energy” and moves like a worm. Lillooet is the “loving presence” with a heart of gold.

Thirty enclosed beluga whales in a Canada-based entertainment facility have become pawns in a disagreement between a closed attraction, public officials and animal rights activists.

But those working directly with the whales say the intense controversy over their fate often ignores the individual traits of the whales who, after living their entire lives in confinement, have been carefully observed by the humans who work with them regularly.

After the Canadian government disallowed the sale of the belugas to China, the struggling attraction near the famous falls where they are kept stated it would consider to put them down unless the federal government covers the upkeep of their care. Canada’s fisheries minister has refused that request, placing the 30 whales in an ever more uncertain situation.

Highly Cognitive Sea Creatures

Scientists say that belugas’ neural makeup, along with their mimicry abilities, cognitive challenges and social skills suggest they are highly cognitive mammals – something Kristy Burgess observed first-hand.

She spent three years as a marine mammal specialist, a job that entailed building relationships of the marine predators.

“Establishing those relationships over time takes a lot of consistency and a lot of affection. At the outset, they’re very unsure of you,” she said. “Eventually, you gain reciprocal understanding. And they start being more open with you. It’s just so magical and rewarding.”

Burgess knew the whales were very smart, but she says she was even so amazed by the nuances and quirks in their dispositions. She cultivated a special affection for a pair of whales with contrasting natures.

“Eve chose me. The other made me earn it,” she said. “Both altered the way I perceive relationships.”

Public Concerns and Facility Decline

Her connection with the whales developed against a context of growing public opposition to their confinement.

During her three years at the attraction, seven belugas and the park’s one killer whale, Kiska, died. In all, nineteen belugas have perished at the park since recent years, a statistic which the facility links to expected lifespan, but which activists say indicates the poor conditions in which they were housed.

The facility did not open to the public over the summer, but the former trainer says she observed directly consequences of the cessation. “Structural materials is falling apart from the enclosures because they’re falling apart and not being repaired. The whales are exploratory and so they take pieces and move about with pieces in their jaws. It’s distressing to see.”

The park did not comment to a inquiry, but in the past asserted: “The whales … obtain far superior health care and 24/7 supervision than any individual in the United Kingdom, or elsewhere.”

Uncertain Future and Proposed Solutions

The former employee was terminated from the facility in the spring following the passing of Eos, an sick beluga the park staff had to euthanize. She said the facility thought information of the incident were disclosed to the news outlets and she was fired not long after.

The ambiguity over the whales’ outcome has left her and current and former trainers in distress. She says the facility’s ultimatum to kill its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “logistically impossible” endeavor, adding any attempts to humanely kill even a single beluga would require “significant staff”, equipment and specialized tools.

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

She supports requests for the whales to be taken right away from the facility, with its failing enclosures and dwindling staff.

In recent months, Canada’s fisheries minister rejected a bid to send the whales to China.

“Granting the proposal would have meant a ongoing life in enclosure and a reversion to public entertainment,” the official stated. “As the public, we know that belugas should be in the ocean, not in tanks for our enjoyment. I could not in ethical standing authorize an relocation that would perpetuate the treatment these belugas have endured.”

But the former trainer said the minister’s comments reflect a wider incorrect perception of the circumstances of living conditions for belugas living their whole lives in enclosures.

“The society needs to understand these are whales that have spent their whole lives in confinement and they will need constant supervision for the rest of their years,” she said. “The public just don’t comprehend that it’s not as simple as saying ‘end operations’.”

Alternative Habitat and Continuing Discussion

As officials attempt to find a resolution, suggestions have surfaced, some of which have little basis in reality. An idea called for the belugas to be released into the wilds of Canada’s north – where whales are a important part of food for local populations.

A planned sanctuary in the province of eastern Canada, which recently received government approval, has proven contentious. The planned facility, which includes extensive space of enclosed sea water, is not yet built. Proponents remain positive that it could eventually represent a sustainable answer for some of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among caretakers she’s consulted, there is “no trust there” about what she said is “only an trial” in the whales’ fate.

Some experts say the prospect of a protected habitat reflects a changing attitudes away from captive facilities and could represent a viable plan in the coming months.

The project lead, leader of the plan, said the facility will replicate the intellectual stimulation and feeding regimen the whales obtain from trainers, albeit in a much larger space. He said after the medical condition of whales is fully assessed, which could take months|an extended period|