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Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie is an cute small “ham sandwich”. The whale Orion – called “Onion Ring” – is a sizeable but guardian-like companion. Zephyr has “constant motion” and sways like a worm. Lillooet is the “loving presence” with a heart of gold.

A group of thirty enclosed marine mammals in a Canadian entertainment facility have become pawns in a struggle between a defunct facility, local and national governments and advocacy groups.

But those working directly with the whales say the impassioned controversy over their fate often ignores the complexities of the whales who, after growing up in confinement, have been carefully observed by the humans who work with them regularly.

After the national authorities blocked the transfer of the belugas to a foreign facility, the struggling facility near the famous falls where they are housed threatened to end their lives unless the government covers the expense of their survival. The nation’s fisheries minister has denied that ultimatum, placing the thirty whales in an increasingly precarious situation.

Highly Cognitive Marine Mammals

Researchers say that belugas’ brain structure, along with their sound replication, cognitive challenges and communal behavior suggest they are highly cognitive creatures – something Kristy Burgess observed directly.

She spent a significant period as a whale caretaker, a position that involved building relationships of the sea creatures.

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

The trainer knew the whales were very smart, but she says she was nonetheless surprised by the details and unique traits in their characters. She formed a deep bond for Eve and Cleopatra with contrasting personalities.

“One whale selected me. The other demanded work,” she said. “They transformed the way I view connection.”

Growing Opposition and Facility Decline

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

During her time at the facility, multiple belugas and the park’s one killer whale, Kiska, died. In total, 19 belugas have perished at the park since recent years, a statistic which the park links to age-related causes, but which activists say reflects the substandard environment in which they were housed.

The park did not operate to the guests over the summer, but the former trainer says she saw with her own eyes effects of the cessation. “Structural materials is deteriorating from the enclosures because they’re in disrepair and not being maintained. The whales are exploratory and so they take pieces and move about with fragments in their mouth. It’s distressing to see.”

The park did not respond to a request for comment, but earlier stated: “The whales … receive far better medical attention and around the clock supervision than any person in the United Kingdom, or anywhere else.”

Fate in Limbo and Potential Resolutions

Burgess was terminated from the park in recent months following the passing of a beluga, an ailing beluga the employees had to euthanize. She said the park thought details of the incident were leaked to the news outlets and she was fired shortly thereafter.

The uncertainty over the whales’ future has left her and current and former trainers in distress. She says the park’s ultimatum to euthanize its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “practically unfeasible” undertaking, adding any attempts to put down even a single beluga would require “significant personnel”, vehicles and machinery.

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

Burgess advocates for requests for the whales to be taken immediately from the facility, with its failing enclosures and dwindling staff.

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

“To approve the proposal would have meant a perpetual existence in enclosure and a return to performance for audiences,” the official commented. “As the public, we know that belugas are meant for the wild, not in pools for our amusement. I could not in clear conscience approve an export that would continue the situation these belugas have endured.”

But the former trainer said the minister’s comments reflect a wider misunderstanding of the facts of existence for belugas raised in confinement.

“The public needs to realize these are whales that have existed solely in confinement and they will need ongoing assistance for the remainder of their lives,” she said. “Many just don’t understand that it’s not as easy as saying ‘close it down’.”

Alternative Habitat and Continuing Discussion

As decision makers attempt to find a solution, proposals have been put forward, some of which have minimal feasibility. One proposal called for the belugas to be let go into the natural habitat of the Arctic – where whales are a primary resource of nourishment for Inuit communities.

A planned sanctuary in the province of Nova Scotia, which has received government approval, has been contentious. The planned site, which includes 100 acres of enclosed sea water, remains undeveloped. Proponents remain optimistic that it could eventually represent a long term resolution for some of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among caretakers she’s discussed with, there is “skepticism there” about what she said is “simply an trial” in the whales’ fate.

Some experts say the possibility of a refuge represents a changing attitudes away from zoos and aquariums and could represent a viable plan in the short term.

An official, head of the initiative, said the location will mimic the intellectual stimulation and nutrition the whales receive from caretakers, albeit in a significantly bigger area. He said after the medical condition of whales is completely examined, which could take months|an extended period|