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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie is an adorable little “ham sandwich”. The whale Orion – nicknamed “Onion” – is a sizeable but very loyal friend. Zephyr has “endless energy” and wiggles like a worm. Lillooet is the “loving presence” with a heart of gold.

Thirty captive marine mammals in a Canadian amusement park have been caught in a tussle between a closed attraction, government authorities and animal rights activists.

But those closest to the whales say the heated discussion over their future often fails to consider the nuances 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 national authorities disallowed the export of the belugas to China, the struggling amusement park near the famous falls where they are held threatened to end their lives unless the government funds the cost of keeping them alive. Canada’s fisheries minister has refused that request, placing the thirty whales in an dangerously unstable position.

Intelligent Marine Mammals

Researchers say that belugas’ neuroanatomy, along with their mimicry abilities, intellectual tasks and group interactions point to they are deeply intelligent animals – something a former trainer learned first-hand.

Burgess spent several years as a marine mammal specialist, a role that entailed building relationships of the sea creatures.

“Developing those connections over time takes a lot of dedication and a lot of care. At the beginning, they’re very wary of you,” she said. “Over time, you gain shared confidence. And they start being more trusting with you. It’s just so magical and rewarding.”

The trainer knew the whales were highly intelligent, but she says she was even so astounded by the subtleties and unique traits in their characters. She developed a special affection for a pair of whales with different personalities.

“One whale accepted me. The other made me earn it,” she said. “They changed the way I perceive bonding.”

Growing Opposition and Facility Decline

Burgess’s connection with the whales progressed against a backdrop of increasing societal concern to their enclosure.

During her time at the attraction, seven belugas and the park’s single killer whale, the orca, died. In all, nineteen belugas have died at the park since recent years, a toll which the facility ascribes to natural mortality, but which advocates say reflects the inadequate care in which they were housed.

The facility did not open to the guests over the summer, but Burgess says she witnessed firsthand consequences of the closure. “Structural materials is falling apart from the pools because they’re in disrepair and not being maintained. The whales are curious and so they pick it up and navigate with fragments in their mouth. It’s upsetting to see.”

The facility did not respond to a request for comment, but earlier asserted: “The whales … receive far superior health care and around the clock care than any person in the UK, or other places.”

Uncertain Future and Potential Resolutions

The former employee was fired from the park in recent months following the demise of a beluga, an sick beluga the caretakers had to euthanize. She said the park thought details of the death were shared to the news outlets and she was released not long after.

The lack of clarity over the whales’ fate has left Burgess and staff members in anguish. She says the park’s ultimatum to euthanize its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “practically unfeasible” endeavor, adding any attempts to put down even a one beluga would require “significant manpower”, vehicles and heavy equipment.

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

She supports demands for the whales to be transferred immediately from the facility, with its failing enclosures and shrinking team.

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

“Granting the application would have meant a ongoing existence in confinement and a reversion to public entertainment,” the official wrote. “As the public, we know that belugas belong in the sea, not in enclosures for our amusement. I could not in good conscience approve an relocation that would perpetuate the treatment these belugas have experienced.”

But the former trainer said the official’s remarks indicate a broader lack of awareness of the circumstances of existence for belugas raised in confinement.

“The society needs to understand these are whales that have lived entirely in captivity and they will need constant supervision for the rest of their years,” she said. “People just don’t comprehend that it’s not as straightforward as saying ‘shut it down’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Ongoing Debate

As authorities struggle to find a resolution, ideas have emerged, some of which have questionable practicality. One proposal called for the belugas to be let go into the open waters of northern regions – where whales are a important part of food for Inuit communities.

A planned sanctuary in the province of eastern Canada, which has received government approval, has proven contentious. The future location, which includes a large area of penned in ocean, remains undeveloped. Proponents remain optimistic that it could in time represent a long term resolution for some of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among trainers she’s spoken with, there is “doubts there” about what she said is “merely an untested concept” in the whales’ fate.

Some experts say the idea of a refuge indicates a broader global shift away from animal displays and could represent a viable solution in the short term.

An official, leader of the sanctuary project, said the site will mimic the cognitive activities and nutrition the whales obtain from specialists, albeit in a significantly bigger space. He said after the medical condition of whales is completely examined, which could take months|an extended period|