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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie Botts is an charming little “playful character”. The whale Orion – nicknamed “Onion Ring” – is a sizeable but guardian-like friend. Another whale, Zephyr has “constant motion” and sways like a wiggly creature. Lillooet is the “loving presence” with a heart of gold.

Thirty captive marine mammals in a Canadian entertainment facility have become pawns in a tussle between a closed attraction, local and national governments and welfare campaigners.

But those most familiar with the whales say the heated discussion over their future often overlooks the complexities of the whales who, after spending their lives in confinement, have been closely studied by the people who see them each day.

After the federal government disallowed the sale of the belugas to a foreign facility, the embattled facility near the famous falls where they are housed threatened to euthanize them unless the authorities funds the expense of their survival. Canada’s fisheries minister has rejected that demand, placing the thirty whales in an dangerously unstable circumstance.

Intelligent Marine Mammals

Experts say that beluga whales’ brain structure, along with their vocal imitation skills, cognitive challenges and social skills indicate they are remarkably smart creatures – something a former trainer discovered personally.

She spent several years as a beluga trainer, a role that involved building relationships of the marine predators.

“Establishing those bonds over time takes a lot of regularity and a lot of love. At the start, they’re very cautious of you,” she said. “In time, you gain mutual trust. And they start being more open with you. It’s just so magical and fulfilling.”

The trainer knew the whales were highly intelligent, but she says she was nonetheless astounded by the nuances and quirks in their personalities. She cultivated a special affection for a pair of whales with opposing personalities.

“One whale chose me. The other demanded work,” she said. “Each transformed the way I perceive bonding.”

Public Concerns and Facility Decline

Her connection with the whales progressed against a background of rising activist criticism to their enclosure.

During her time at the attraction, multiple belugas and the park’s one orca, the orca, passed away. In total, nineteen belugas have died at the park since recent years, a number which the park ascribes to age-related causes, but which activists say indicates the substandard environment in which they were housed.

The park did not open to the public over the summer, but Burgess says she witnessed firsthand results of the closure. “Concrete is breaking off from the tanks because they’re degrading and not being fixed. The whales are exploratory and so they grab fragments and move about with chunks in their mouth. It’s distressing to see.”

The park did not reply to a inquiry, but previously claimed: “The whales … obtain far superior veterinary services and around the clock attention than any individual in the Britain, or elsewhere.”

Fate in Limbo and Proposed Solutions

The former employee was dismissed from the facility in recent months following the death of Eos, an unwell beluga the employees had to put down. She said the facility thought details of the death were leaked to the media and she was released soon after.

The lack of clarity over the whales’ future 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” endeavor, adding any plans to euthanize even a single beluga would require “significant staff”, trucks and specialized tools.

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

She backs requests for the whales to be taken immediately from the facility, with its deteriorating pools and dwindling staff.

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

“Granting the application would have meant a continued existence in enclosure and a return to display for amusement,” the official commented. “As Canadians, we know that belugas belong in the wild, not in tanks for our amusement. I could not in ethical standing authorize an transfer that would prolong the conditions these belugas have experienced.”

But Burgess said the minister’s statements reflect a more general lack of awareness of the realities of life for belugas born in captivity.

“The public needs to understand these are whales that have existed solely in enclosed habitats and they will need human care for the remainder of their lives,” she said. “The public just don’t comprehend that it’s not as simple as saying ‘shut it down’.”

Alternative Habitat and Continuing Discussion

As authorities struggle to find a resolution, ideas have surfaced, some of which have minimal feasibility. One proposal called for the belugas to be freed into the open waters of the Arctic – where whales are a key source of food for local populations.

A suggested protected area in the region of eastern Canada, which now received government approval, has been contentious. The future location, which includes extensive space of protected cove, is not yet built. Supporters remain hopeful that it could in time represent a long term solution for some of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among staff she’s consulted, there is “skepticism there” about what she said is “only an experiment” in the whales’ future.

Different voices say the idea of a refuge represents a broader global shift away from animal displays and could represent a workable approach in the coming months.

Charles Vinick, director of the initiative, said the facility will replicate the intellectual stimulation and diet the whales get from caretakers, albeit in a significantly bigger area. He said after the health of whales is fully assessed, which could take months|an extended period|