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Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie is an cute little “ham sandwich”. The whale Orion – called “Onion Ring” – is a big but fiercely protective companion. Another whale, Zephyr has “ants in his pants” and sways like a worm. Lillooet the beluga is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a heart of gold.

Thirty enclosed beluga whales in a Canadian amusement park have been caught in a tussle between a defunct facility, local and national governments and animal rights activists.

But those most familiar with the whales say the impassioned debate over their fate often fails to consider the individual traits of the whales who, after living their entire lives in confinement, have been closely studied by the humans who interact with them daily.

After the federal government prevented the sale of the belugas to China, the controversial attraction near the famous falls where they are housed threatened to euthanize them unless the federal government covers the upkeep of their care. Canada’s fisheries minister has denied that request, placing the thirty whales in an dangerously unstable situation.

Highly Cognitive Marine Mammals

Researchers say that belugas’ neuroanatomy, along with their vocal imitation skills, intellectual tasks and social skills indicate they are deeply intelligent creatures – something a former trainer learned personally.

She spent three years as a marine mammal specialist, a position that involved gaining confidence of the marine predators.

“Establishing those connections over time takes a lot of dedication and a lot of love. At the outset, they’re very cautious of you,” she said. “Over time, you gain shared confidence. And they start being more vulnerable with you. It’s just so wonderful and fulfilling.”

The trainer knew the whales were highly intelligent, but she says she was nonetheless astounded by the subtleties and quirks in their dispositions. She formed a special affection for a pair of whales with different temperaments.

“Eve selected me. The other demanded work,” she said. “Both altered the way I perceive relationships.”

Growing Opposition and Facility Decline

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

During her tenure at the attraction, multiple belugas and the park’s single killer whale, the orca, died. In total, nineteen belugas have perished at the park since recent years, a number which the facility links to natural mortality, but which advocates say indicates the substandard environment in which they were kept.

The facility did not admit visitors to the guests over the recent season, but the former trainer says she saw with her own eyes consequences of the closure. “Concrete is breaking off from the tanks because they’re in disrepair and not being fixed. The whales are exploratory and so they pick it up and navigate with chunks in their jaws. It’s upsetting to see.”

The facility did not respond to a questionnaire, but earlier stated: “The whales … receive far better medical attention and around the clock supervision than any human in the United Kingdom, or other places.”

Uncertain Future and Proposed Solutions

The former employee was terminated from the facility in recent months following the passing of Eos, an ailing beluga the employees had to put down. She said the facility suspected particulars of the incident were leaked to the media and she was fired shortly thereafter.

The uncertainty over the whales’ outcome has left her and other caretakers in anguish. She says the park’s warning to euthanize its whales is a leverage tool and is a “practically unfeasible” endeavor, adding any efforts to put down even a individual beluga would require “significant staff”, trucks and specialized tools.

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

She backs calls for the whales to be transferred right away from the facility, with its deteriorating pools and dwindling staff.

In the autumn, the nation’s government official rejected a proposal to transfer the whales to an overseas location.

“Granting the application would have meant a continued situation in captivity and a reversion to display for amusement,” the minister wrote. “As the public, we know that marine mammals belong in the wild, not in pools for our entertainment. I could not in ethical standing permit an transfer that would prolong the situation these belugas have endured.”

But the former trainer said the official’s comments reflect a wider lack of awareness of the facts of life 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 rest of their years,” she said. “Many just don’t understand that it’s not as simple as saying ‘close it down’.”

Alternative Habitat and Ongoing Debate

As authorities struggle to find a answer, suggestions have been put forward, some of which have minimal feasibility. An idea called for the belugas to be released into the natural habitat of Canada’s north – where whales are a key source of sustenance for local populations.

A planned refuge in the region of Nova Scotia, which now received regulatory clearance, has proven most controversial. The planned site, which includes extensive space of penned in ocean, doesn’t yet exist. Supporters remain optimistic that it could eventually represent a long term answer for some of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among caretakers she’s consulted, there is “no trust there” about what she said is “simply an untested concept” in the whales’ well-being.

Different voices say the possibility of a refuge indicates a changing attitudes away from captive facilities and could represent a feasible solution in the coming months.

Charles Vinick, director of the initiative, said the location will mimic the mental engagement and feeding regimen the whales receive from caretakers, albeit in a significantly bigger environment. He said after the well-being of whales is fully assessed, which could take months|an extended period|