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Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie is an charming little “ham sandwich”. The whale Orion – called “Onion Ring” – is a big but fiercely protective companion. Another whale, Zephyr has “endless energy” and wiggles like a wiggly creature. Lillooet is the “most affectionate” with a kind nature.

Thirty enclosed beluga whales in a Canada-based amusement park have been caught in a disagreement between a closed attraction, government authorities and advocacy groups.

But those working directly with the whales say the impassioned controversy over their future often overlooks the individual traits of the whales who, after spending their lives in enclosed habitats, have been closely studied by the caretakers who interact with them daily.

After the Canadian government blocked the transfer of the belugas to a foreign facility, the controversial facility near the famous falls where they are held warned to put them down unless the government covers the upkeep of their survival. The nation’s marine resources official has refused that request, placing the thirty whales in an dangerously unstable circumstance.

Intelligent Sea Creatures

Scientists say that belugas’ brain structure, along with their vocal imitation skills, intellectual tasks and group interactions point to they are remarkably smart mammals – something Kristy Burgess learned personally.

She spent a significant period as a beluga trainer, a role that required building relationships of the aquatic animals.

“Building up those relationships over time takes a lot of consistency and a lot of affection. At the start, they’re very cautious of you,” she said. “In time, you gain shared confidence. And they start being more open with you. It’s just so extraordinary and gratifying.”

The trainer knew the whales were very smart, but she says she was nonetheless astounded by the nuances and quirks in their personalities. She cultivated a deep bond for a pair of whales with contrasting temperaments.

“One whale selected me. The other made me earn it,” she said. “Both altered the way I view connection.”

Growing Opposition and Facility Decline

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

During her three years at the attraction, seven belugas and the park’s single killer whale, the orca, passed away. In all, nineteen belugas have died at the park since recent years, a toll which the facility links to natural mortality, but which campaigners say points to the substandard environment in which they were kept.

The park did not operate to the visitors over the recent season, but Burgess says she witnessed firsthand consequences of the closure. “Concrete is breaking off from the pools because they’re falling apart and not being fixed. The whales are curious and so they grab fragments and navigate with pieces in their jaws. It’s heartbreaking to see.”

The facility did not respond to a request for comment, but previously claimed: “The whales … get far higher quality health care and constant attention than any person in the Britain, or elsewhere.”

Fate in Limbo and Potential Resolutions

Burgess was dismissed from the facility in early March following the passing of Eos, an unwell beluga the caretakers had to humanely kill. She said the park suspected information of the incident were shared to the news outlets and she was let go not long after.

The lack of clarity over the whales’ future has left Burgess and staff members in despair. She says the park’s warning to euthanize its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “practically unfeasible” task, adding any plans to euthanize even a one beluga would require “significant manpower”, trucks and machinery.

“There’s no way in hell the staff would ever do it,” she said.

She advocates for demands for the whales to be transferred right away from the facility, with its deteriorating pools and shrinking team.

In the autumn, Canada’s fisheries minister rejected a proposal to send the whales to an overseas location.

“Allowing the application would have meant a perpetual life in confinement and a return to performance for audiences,” the official wrote. “As Canadians, we know that marine mammals are meant for the sea, not in enclosures for our amusement. I could not in good conscience approve an relocation that would prolong the situation these belugas have experienced.”

But Burgess said the minister’s remarks reflect a broader incorrect perception of the realities of living conditions for belugas living their whole lives in enclosures.

“The people needs to realize these are whales that have spent their whole lives in captivity and they will need constant supervision for the rest of their years,” she said. “Many just don’t understand that it’s not as easy as saying ‘shut it down’.”

Alternative Habitat and Ongoing Debate

As officials work 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 wilds of northern regions – where whales are a primary resource of sustenance for Inuit communities.

A suggested protected area in the province of Nova Scotia, which recently received regulatory clearance, has shown to be highly debated. The future facility, which includes extensive space of protected cove, remains undeveloped. Proponents remain optimistic that it could eventually represent a permanent solution for some of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among trainers she’s consulted, there is “no trust there” about what she said is “merely an untested concept” in the whales’ future.

Others say the prospect of a protected habitat represents a worldwide trend away from captive facilities and could represent a feasible approach in the near future.

The project lead, director of the plan, said the location will simulate the intellectual stimulation and diet the whales get from caretakers, albeit in a significantly bigger area. He said after the well-being of whales is fully assessed, which could take months|an extended period|