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Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie is an cute little “ham sandwich”. The whale Orion – nicknamed “Onion” – is a big but very loyal companion. Another whale, Zephyr has “endless energy” and sways like a wiggly creature. Lillooet the beluga is the “loving presence” with a kind nature.

A group of thirty enclosed marine mammals in a Canada-based amusement park have been entangled in a tussle between a closed attraction, local and national governments and welfare campaigners.

But those closest to the whales say the intense debate over their destiny often fails to consider the nuances of the whales who, after spending their lives in captivity, have been closely studied by the caretakers who work with them regularly.

After the Canadian government blocked the transfer of the belugas to China, the controversial amusement park near the famous falls where they are kept stated it would consider to end their lives unless the government funds the expense of their survival. The nation’s fisheries minister has denied that ultimatum, placing the thirty whales in an increasingly precarious position.

Intelligent Sea Creatures

Researchers say that belugas’ brain structure, along with their mimicry abilities, intellectual tasks and social skills suggest they are deeply intelligent creatures – something Kristy Burgess learned first-hand.

She spent several years as a whale caretaker, a role that involved gaining confidence of the sea creatures.

“Developing those relationships over time takes a lot of regularity and a lot of care. At the outset, they’re very wary of you,” she said. “In time, you gain mutual trust. 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 surprised by the details and unique traits in their dispositions. She cultivated a deep bond for Eve and Cleopatra with contrasting personalities.

“Eve chose me. Cleo demanded work,” she said. “Each changed the way I view relationships.”

Public Concerns and Facility Decline

Her interaction with the whales developed against a background of rising activist criticism to their enclosure.

During her tenure at the attraction, seven belugas and the park’s single killer whale, Kiska, passed away. In total, 19 belugas have perished at the park since recent years, a statistic which the facility attributes to expected lifespan, but which activists say indicates the inadequate care in which they were housed.

The facility did not operate to the visitors over the summer, but Burgess says she observed directly consequences of the closure. “Structural materials is breaking off from the pools because they’re falling apart and not being maintained. The whales are curious and so they grab fragments and swim around with fragments in their jaws. It’s distressing to see.”

The facility did not respond to a inquiry, but earlier claimed: “The whales … get far better medical attention and constant attention than any person in the Britain, or elsewhere.”

Fate in Limbo and Potential Resolutions

The former employee was terminated from the facility in early March following the death of Eos, an unwell beluga the employees had to euthanize. She said the facility believed details of the death were leaked to the press and she was fired soon after.

The lack of clarity over the whales’ fate has left Burgess and current and former trainers in despair. She says the park’s warning to kill its whales is a leverage tool and is a “extremely difficult” endeavor, adding any attempts to put down even a individual beluga would require “significant manpower”, equipment and machinery.

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

She advocates for calls for the whales to be transferred immediately from the park, with its crumbling tanks and dwindling staff.

In late September, the nation’s fisheries minister denied a proposal to transfer the whales to an overseas location.

“Granting the application would have meant a ongoing situation in confinement and a return to display for amusement,” the minister stated. “As the public, we know that belugas should be in the sea, not in enclosures for our enjoyment. I could not in clear conscience authorize an relocation that would continue the situation these belugas have suffered.”

But Burgess said the official’s remarks reflect a broader lack of awareness of the circumstances of life for belugas born in captivity.

“The society needs to realize these are whales that have spent their whole lives in confinement and they will need constant supervision for the foreseeable future,” she said. “People just don’t understand that it’s not as easy as saying ‘close it down’.”

Alternative Habitat and Ongoing Debate

As authorities attempt to find a resolution, ideas have surfaced, some of which have little basis in reality. A suggested plan called for the belugas to be freed into the open waters of northern regions – where whales are a key source of sustenance for Indigenous peoples.

A suggested refuge in the region of eastern Canada, which recently received official endorsement, has proven highly debated. The prospective facility, which includes extensive space of penned in ocean, doesn’t yet exist. Advocates remain hopeful that it could ultimately represent a long term resolution for a number 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’ fate.

Others say the possibility of a sanctuary represents a broader global shift away from animal displays and could represent a workable plan in the near future.

Charles Vinick, head of the plan, said the location will mimic the mental engagement and nutrition the whales obtain from trainers, albeit in a more expansive area. He said after the well-being of whales is completely examined, which could take months|an extended period|