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Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie is an cute small “ham sandwich”. Orion – nicknamed “Onion Ring” – is a big but very loyal companion. Another whale, Zephyr has “endless energy” and wiggles like a worm. Lillooet the beluga is the “loving presence” with a heart of gold.

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

But those most familiar with the whales say the heated discussion over their fate often fails to consider the individual traits of the whales who, after growing up in captivity, have been thoroughly researched by the humans who work with them regularly.

After the federal government prevented the export of the belugas to China, the embattled facility near the famous falls where they are housed threatened to put them down unless the federal government pays for the cost of their survival. The nation’s fisheries minister has refused that ultimatum, placing the thirty whales in an dangerously unstable situation.

Highly Cognitive Marine Mammals

Scientists say that beluga whales’ neuroanatomy, along with their sound replication, cognitive challenges and group interactions indicate they are deeply intelligent mammals – something Kristy Burgess learned personally.

Burgess spent several years as a whale caretaker, a position that involved building relationships of the aquatic animals.

“Developing those relationships 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 mutual trust. And they start being more trusting with you. It’s just so wonderful and rewarding.”

The trainer knew the whales were very smart, but she says she was nonetheless amazed by the nuances and quirks in their dispositions. She cultivated a special affection for two female belugas with different natures.

“One whale chose me. The other required effort,” she said. “They transformed the way I perceive connection.”

Public Concerns and Facility Decline

Her interaction with the whales evolved against a background of growing public opposition to their enclosure.

During her tenure at the facility, seven belugas and the park’s one killer whale, the orca, died. In all, nineteen belugas have perished at the park since recent years, a toll which the park ascribes to age-related causes, but which campaigners say points to the inadequate care in which they were maintained.

The facility did not operate to the guests over the recent season, but Burgess says she observed directly results of the shutdown. “Concrete is falling apart from the enclosures because they’re in disrepair and not being maintained. The whales are curious and so they grab fragments and navigate with pieces in their jaws. It’s heartbreaking to see.”

The park did not reply to a request for comment, but previously claimed: “The whales … receive far higher quality veterinary services and around the clock attention than any human in the United Kingdom, or anywhere else.”

Fate in Limbo and Proposed Solutions

Burgess was fired from the park in recent months following the demise of Eos, an ailing beluga the caretakers had to humanely kill. She said the park thought information of the death were disclosed to the news outlets and she was let go shortly thereafter.

The lack of clarity over the whales’ future has left her and current and former trainers in distress. She says the facility’s ultimatum to euthanize its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “extremely difficult” task, adding any plans to euthanize even a single beluga would require “significant personnel”, equipment and heavy equipment.

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

She supports calls for the whales to be removed immediately from the park, with its deteriorating pools and dwindling staff.

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

“To approve the request would have meant a perpetual situation in captivity and a reversion to public entertainment,” the minister commented. “As society, we know that marine mammals are meant for the wild, not in tanks for our enjoyment. I could not in ethical standing authorize an transfer that would prolong the conditions these belugas have experienced.”

But the former trainer said the minister’s comments indicate a wider lack of awareness of the realities of life for belugas born in captivity.

“The people needs to understand these are whales that have existed solely in captivity and they will need constant supervision for the remainder of their lives,” she said. “People just don’t realize that it’s not as easy as saying ‘end operations’.”

Alternative Habitat and Ongoing Debate

As decision makers work to find a solution, suggestions have surfaced, some of which have little basis in reality. An idea called for the belugas to be let go into the wilds of Canada’s north – where whales are a key source of nourishment for Inuit communities.

A suggested protected area in the province of Nova Scotia, which now received official endorsement, has shown to be most controversial. The planned site, which includes a large area of penned in ocean, remains undeveloped. Supporters remain optimistic that it could ultimately represent a sustainable solution for some of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among staff she’s consulted, there is “no trust there” about what she said is “simply an experiment” in the whales’ well-being.

Others say the idea of a sanctuary indicates a changing attitudes away from captive facilities and could represent a viable solution in the coming months.

The project lead, leader of the sanctuary project, said the location will simulate the cognitive activities and feeding regimen the whales get from specialists, albeit in a significantly bigger space. He said after the health of whales is completely examined, which could take months|an extended period|