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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie is an cute little “ham sandwich”. The whale Orion – nicknamed “Onion” – is a large but guardian-like friend. Zephyr has “constant motion” and wiggles like a wiggly creature. Lillooet the beluga is the “loving presence” with a kind nature.

A group of thirty enclosed beluga whales in a Canada-based entertainment facility have become pawns in a tussle between a shuttered park, local and national governments and animal rights activists.

But those closest to the whales say the intense discussion over their fate often ignores the complexities of the whales who, after living their entire lives in confinement, have been thoroughly researched by the humans who interact with them daily.

After the national authorities prevented the sale of the belugas to China, the embattled amusement park near the famous falls where they are housed stated it would consider to put them down unless the government funds the upkeep of their survival. The nation’s fisheries minister has rejected that request, placing the 30 whales in an ever more uncertain situation.

Intelligent Marine Mammals

Researchers say that beluga whales’ neural makeup, along with their sound replication, problem solving and communal behavior suggest they are remarkably smart animals – something one caretaker discovered first-hand.

She spent a significant period as a whale caretaker, a role that required earning the trust of the sea creatures.

“Establishing those relationships over time takes a lot of consistency and a lot of care. At the start, they’re very cautious of you,” she said. “Over time, you gain reciprocal understanding. And they start being more trusting with you. It’s just so magical and gratifying.”

Burgess knew the whales were very smart, but she says she was nonetheless astounded by the details and quirks in their personalities. She formed a special affection for a pair of whales with opposing natures.

“One whale chose me. Cleo made me earn it,” she said. “Each altered the way I perceive connection.”

Public Concerns and Deteriorating Conditions

Her interaction with the whales developed against a context of rising activist criticism to their confinement.

During her three years at the facility, seven belugas and the park’s single killer whale, the orca, died. In all, nineteen belugas have perished at the park since recent years, a toll which the park attributes to expected lifespan, but which campaigners say points to the poor conditions in which they were maintained.

The park did not admit visitors to the visitors over the summer, but Burgess says she saw with her own eyes effects of the shutdown. “Structural materials is breaking off from the pools because they’re in disrepair and not being fixed. The whales are exploratory and so they pick it up and swim around with chunks in their mouth. It’s upsetting to see.”

The facility did not reply to a inquiry, but earlier asserted: “The whales … get far higher quality veterinary services and around the clock supervision than any individual in the UK, or anywhere else.”

Uncertain Future and Proposed Solutions

The former employee was fired from the park in recent months following the demise of a beluga, an unwell beluga the caretakers had to euthanize. She said the park thought information of the incident were shared to the news outlets and she was fired not long after.

The ambiguity over the whales’ outcome has left her and other caretakers in anguish. She says the park’s ultimatum to kill its whales is a leverage tool and is a “logistically impossible” endeavor, adding any attempts to put down even a one beluga would require “immense personnel”, vehicles and machinery.

“It cannot happen in hell the caretakers would ever do it,” she said.

She supports calls for the whales to be taken right away from the facility, with its crumbling tanks and dwindling staff.

In late September, Canada’s government official turned down a proposal to send the whales to an overseas location.

“Granting the request would have meant a continued situation in captivity and a return to public entertainment,” the official wrote. “As society, we know that marine mammals are meant for the wild, not in enclosures for our enjoyment. I could not in clear conscience permit an relocation that would continue the conditions these belugas have endured.”

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

“The public needs to understand these are whales that have lived entirely in captivity and they will need ongoing assistance for the rest of their years,” she said. “Many just don’t comprehend that it’s not as straightforward as saying ‘shut it down’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Ongoing Debate

As officials attempt to find a answer, proposals have surfaced, some of which have questionable practicality. One proposal called for the belugas to be freed into the wilds of Canada’s north – where whales are a key source of food for local populations.

A suggested sanctuary in the province of eastern Canada, which recently received official endorsement, has shown to be highly debated. The prospective site, which includes a large area of enclosed sea water, is not yet built. Proponents remain hopeful that it could ultimately represent a permanent solution for some of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among staff she’s spoken with, there is “skepticism there” about what she said is “merely an trial” in the whales’ fate.

Some experts say the prospect of a refuge represents a broader global shift away from zoos and aquariums and could represent a workable plan in the coming months.

An official, head of the initiative, said the facility will replicate 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 fully assessed, which could take months|an extended period|