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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie Botts is an adorable little “ham sandwich”. The whale Orion – nicknamed “Onion” – is a sizeable but guardian-like friend. Another whale, Zephyr has “constant motion” and moves like a wiggly creature. Lillooet is the “most affectionate” with a heart of gold.

A group of thirty captive beluga whales in a Canada-based entertainment facility have been caught in a disagreement between a defunct facility, government authorities and animal rights activists.

But those most familiar with the whales say the intense controversy over their fate often ignores the nuances of the whales who, after spending their lives in confinement, have been thoroughly researched by the caretakers who work with them regularly.

After the Canadian government blocked the sale of the belugas to China, the controversial facility near the famous falls where they are housed warned to put them down unless the government covers the upkeep of keeping them alive. The nation’s fisheries minister has rejected that request, placing the thirty whales in an increasingly precarious position.

Highly Cognitive Marine Mammals

Researchers say that beluga whales’ neural makeup, along with their sound replication, problem solving and group interactions point to they are highly cognitive animals – something Kristy Burgess learned personally.

She spent several years as a beluga trainer, a job that involved earning the trust of the marine predators.

“Establishing those bonds over time takes a lot of consistency and a lot of love. At the start, they’re very unsure of you,” she said. “In time, you gain reciprocal understanding. And they start being more trusting with you. It’s just so magical and rewarding.”

Burgess knew the whales were highly intelligent, but she says she was nonetheless astounded by the subtleties and idiosyncrasies in their personalities. She formed a special affection for two female belugas with different temperaments.

“One whale accepted me. Cleo required effort,” she said. “Each transformed the way I view bonding.”

Growing Opposition and Deteriorating Conditions

Her interaction with the whales developed against a context of increasing societal concern to their captivity.

During her tenure at the park, multiple belugas and the park’s one orca, the orca, died. In total, 19 belugas have perished at the park since recent years, a number which the facility ascribes to age-related causes, but which advocates say points to the substandard environment in which they were housed.

The facility did not operate to the visitors over the recent season, but Burgess says she saw with her own eyes consequences of the shutdown. “Concrete is breaking off from the tanks because they’re falling apart and not being repaired. The whales are inquisitive 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 asserted: “The whales … get far superior veterinary services and around the clock supervision than any person in the Britain, or other places.”

Fate in Limbo and Proposed Solutions

The former employee was dismissed from the facility in early March following the death of a beluga, an unwell beluga the park staff had to euthanize. She said the park thought details of the death were leaked to the press and she was fired shortly thereafter.

The lack of clarity over the whales’ outcome has left her and staff members in distress. She says the facility’s threat to kill its whales is a leverage tool and is a “practically unfeasible” task, adding any attempts to humanely kill even a one beluga would require “immense personnel”, equipment and specialized tools.

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

Burgess advocates for calls for the whales to be removed immediately from the park, with its crumbling tanks and reduced personnel.

In recent months, the nation’s fisheries minister turned down a request to export the whales to China.

“Allowing the request would have meant a ongoing situation in enclosure and a return to display for amusement,” the minister stated. “As Canadians, we know that marine mammals belong in the sea, not in pools for our amusement. I could not in ethical standing approve an relocation that would perpetuate the treatment these belugas have suffered.”

But the former trainer said the minister’s statements reflect a more general misunderstanding of the facts of life for belugas living their whole lives in enclosures.

“The society needs to understand these are whales that have spent their whole lives in enclosed habitats and they will need constant supervision for the rest of their years,” she said. “People just don’t comprehend that it’s not as simple as saying ‘close it down’.”

Alternative Habitat and Continuing Discussion

As decision makers attempt to find a resolution, suggestions have emerged, some of which have little basis in reality. One proposal called for the belugas to be released into the wilds of Canada’s north – where whales are a key source of nourishment for local populations.

A planned refuge in the region of Nova Scotia, which now received regulatory clearance, has shown to be contentious. The future site, which includes extensive space of penned in ocean, is not yet built. Supporters remain positive that it could in time represent a permanent answer for a number of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among caretakers she’s consulted, there is “no trust there” about what she said is “merely an experiment” in the whales’ well-being.

Others say the prospect of a refuge reflects a broader global shift away from captive facilities and could represent a viable plan in the short term.

An official, director of the sanctuary project, said the location will mimic the cognitive activities and nutrition the whales obtain from caretakers, albeit in a much larger environment. He said after the health of whales is completely examined, which could take months|an extended period|