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Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie Botts is an adorable small “sweetheart”. The whale Orion – called “Onion” – is a sizeable but very loyal companion. Another whale, Zephyr has “endless energy” and moves like a wiggly creature. Lillooet is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a heart of gold.

Thirty enclosed beluga whales in a Canadian entertainment facility have been entangled in a tussle between a closed attraction, local and national governments and animal rights activists.

But those working directly with the whales say the intense debate over their future often fails to consider the individual traits of the whales who, after living their entire lives in confinement, have been thoroughly researched by the humans who interact with them daily.

After the federal government blocked the sale of the belugas to a foreign facility, the struggling facility near the famous falls where they are held threatened to euthanize them unless the authorities funds the upkeep of their care. The nation’s fisheries minister has refused that demand, placing the 30 whales in an dangerously unstable circumstance.

Highly Cognitive Marine Mammals

Experts say that belugas’ neural makeup, along with their vocal imitation skills, cognitive challenges and group interactions indicate they are deeply intelligent mammals – something Kristy Burgess learned directly.

She spent a significant period as a beluga trainer, a job that involved earning the trust of the aquatic animals.

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

The trainer knew the whales were very smart, but she says she was even so surprised by the details and unique traits in their dispositions. She developed a particular love for two female belugas with contrasting personalities.

“Eve accepted me. The other made me earn it,” she said. “Each altered the way I view relationships.”

Growing Opposition and Facility Decline

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

During her time at the park, multiple belugas and the park’s single orca, Kiska, passed away. In all, 19 belugas have died at the park since recent years, a number which the facility attributes to expected lifespan, but which campaigners say reflects the inadequate care in which they were housed.

The facility did not open to the guests over the summer, but the former trainer says she observed directly consequences of the closure. “Concrete is deteriorating from the pools because they’re degrading and not being maintained. The whales are curious and so they pick it up and navigate with chunks in their mouth. It’s distressing to see.”

The park did not respond to a inquiry, but earlier stated: “The whales … obtain far higher quality veterinary services and around the clock attention than any human in the United Kingdom, or other places.”

Fate in Limbo and Proposed Solutions

Burgess was dismissed from the park in recent months following the demise of a beluga, an unwell beluga the employees had to put down. She said the park suspected particulars of the incident were shared to the press and she was let go not long after.

The lack of clarity over the whales’ outcome has left Burgess and current and former trainers in distress. She says the park’s ultimatum to euthanize its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “logistically impossible” task, adding any plans to put down even a single beluga would require “considerable manpower”, trucks and machinery.

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

She advocates for requests for the whales to be transferred promptly from the facility, with its deteriorating pools and reduced personnel.

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

“Granting the application would have meant a ongoing existence in enclosure and a reversion to display for amusement,” the official stated. “As the public, we know that marine mammals are meant for the ocean, not in pools for our amusement. I could not in clear conscience permit an transfer that would continue the treatment these belugas have endured.”

But the former trainer said the minister’s statements reveal a wider incorrect perception of the facts of living conditions for belugas living their whole lives in enclosures.

“The society 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 comprehend that it’s not as easy as saying ‘end operations’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Ongoing Debate

As authorities struggle to find a solution, ideas have surfaced, some of which have minimal feasibility. An idea called for the belugas to be let go into the natural habitat of Canada’s north – where whales are a primary resource of sustenance for Inuit communities.

A proposed sanctuary in the region of Nova Scotia, which recently received official endorsement, has proven most controversial. The planned location, which includes 100 acres of penned in ocean, is not yet built. Advocates remain positive that it could in time represent a long term resolution for a number of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among caretakers she’s spoken with, there is “doubts there” about what she said is “merely an untested concept” in the whales’ well-being.

Others say the prospect of a sanctuary represents a broader global shift away from zoos and aquariums and could represent a viable solution in the short term.

Charles Vinick, head of the plan, said the site will simulate the cognitive activities and nutrition the whales receive from trainers, albeit in a much larger environment. He said after the medical condition of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|