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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie is an adorable little “playful character”. The whale Orion – called “Onion” – is a sizeable but guardian-like companion. Zephyr has “ants in his pants” and moves like a worm. Lillooet the beluga is the “loving presence” with a gentle spirit.

Thirty captive beluga whales in a Canada-based entertainment facility have been entangled in a struggle between a shuttered park, government authorities and animal rights activists.

But those working directly with the whales say the impassioned debate over their destiny often ignores the complexities of the whales who, after living their entire lives in captivity, have been carefully observed by the people who see them each day.

After the national authorities blocked the sale of the belugas to a foreign facility, the controversial facility near the famous falls where they are held warned to put them down unless the authorities pays for the upkeep of their care. The nation’s fisheries minister has refused that ultimatum, placing the thirty whales in an dangerously unstable circumstance.

Intelligent Marine Mammals

Scientists say that beluga whales’ neural makeup, along with their mimicry abilities, intellectual tasks and social skills point to they are remarkably smart creatures – something Kristy Burgess learned personally.

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

“Building up those bonds over time takes a lot of consistency and a lot of care. At the outset, they’re very cautious of you,” she said. “Eventually, you gain reciprocal understanding. And they start being more trusting with you. It’s just so magical and rewarding.”

The trainer knew the whales were very smart, but she says she was nevertheless astounded by the details and quirks in their personalities. She cultivated a particular love for two female belugas with contrasting natures.

“One whale accepted me. Cleo required effort,” she said. “Each altered the way I view relationships.”

Public Concerns and Facility Decline

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

During her tenure at the attraction, multiple belugas and the park’s single killer whale, the orca, died. In all, 19 belugas have perished at the park since recent years, a statistic which the park ascribes to natural mortality, but which campaigners say reflects the poor conditions in which they were housed.

The facility did not open to the guests over the recent season, but Burgess says she observed directly effects of the cessation. “Structural materials is deteriorating from the enclosures because they’re in disrepair and not being fixed. The whales are exploratory and so they grab fragments and move about with fragments in their jaws. It’s upsetting to see.”

The facility did not comment to a questionnaire, but in the past claimed: “The whales … receive far higher quality medical attention and 24/7 supervision than any person in the Britain, or elsewhere.”

Uncertain Future and Proposed Solutions

Burgess was dismissed from the park in early March following the demise of Eos, an unwell beluga the caretakers had to euthanize. She said the facility believed information of the incident were leaked to the press and she was let go soon after.

The lack of clarity over the whales’ outcome has left Burgess and other caretakers in distress. She says the park’s warning to kill its whales is a bargaining chip and is a “logistically impossible” task, adding any efforts to euthanize even a individual beluga would require “immense staff”, vehicles and specialized tools.

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

She backs calls for the whales to be taken immediately from the park, with its failing enclosures and shrinking team.

In recent months, the nation’s government official rejected a bid to send the whales to China.

“Allowing the application would have meant a perpetual situation in confinement and a reversion to display for amusement,” the minister stated. “As society, we know that whales are meant for the sea, not in enclosures for our enjoyment. I could not in good conscience authorize an export that would continue the treatment these belugas have experienced.”

But Burgess said the minister’s remarks indicate a broader lack of awareness of the circumstances of life for belugas raised in confinement.

“The public needs to realize these are whales that have lived entirely in captivity 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 straightforward as saying ‘close it down’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Continuing Discussion

As officials struggle to find a solution, ideas have surfaced, some of which have questionable practicality. An idea called for the belugas to be released into the wilds of Canada’s north – where whales are a key source of nourishment for Indigenous peoples.

A suggested refuge in the region of Nova Scotia, which now received government approval, has been contentious. The planned facility, which includes 100 acres of protected cove, is not yet built. Supporters remain optimistic that it could eventually represent a permanent answer for some of the whales.

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

Others say the possibility of a protected habitat represents a broader global shift away from zoos and aquariums and could represent a workable approach in the near future.

Charles Vinick, head of the sanctuary project, said the site will simulate the mental engagement and nutrition the whales obtain from specialists, albeit in a much larger environment. He said after the medical condition of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|