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Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie is an cute small “ham sandwich”. Orion – called “Onion Ring” – is a large but fiercely protective friend. Zephyr has “endless energy” and moves like a wiggly creature. Lillooet the beluga is the “most affectionate” with a kind nature.

A group of thirty enclosed beluga whales in a Canada-based amusement park have been caught in a struggle between a defunct facility, local and national governments and welfare campaigners.

But those most familiar with the whales say the heated debate over their destiny often ignores the nuances of the whales who, after growing up in enclosed habitats, have been carefully observed by the people who work with them regularly.

After the federal government blocked the export of the belugas to China, the controversial facility near the famous falls where they are kept threatened to put them down unless the government pays for the expense of their care. Canada’s marine resources official has denied that request, placing the 30 whales in an increasingly precarious circumstance.

Highly Cognitive Marine Mammals

Researchers say that belugas’ neuroanatomy, along with their mimicry abilities, problem solving and group interactions suggest they are remarkably smart mammals – something one caretaker observed first-hand.

She spent three years as a marine mammal specialist, a role that required gaining confidence of the marine predators.

“Building up those connections over time takes a lot of regularity and a lot of affection. At the outset, they’re very wary of you,” she said. “Over time, you gain mutual trust. And they start being more open with you. It’s just so extraordinary and gratifying.”

The trainer knew the whales were highly intelligent, but she says she was nevertheless astounded by the details and idiosyncrasies in their dispositions. She developed a special affection for a pair of whales with opposing temperaments.

“Eve chose me. Cleo required effort,” she said. “Both changed the way I view relationships.”

Public Concerns and Deteriorating Conditions

Her connection with the whales developed against a context of rising activist criticism to their enclosure.

During her tenure at the park, seven belugas and the park’s single orca, Kiska, passed away. In total, nineteen belugas have died at the park since recent years, a statistic 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 open to the public over the summer, but the former trainer says she observed directly consequences of the closure. “Concrete is deteriorating from the pools because they’re falling apart and not being maintained. The whales are exploratory and so they take pieces and move about with chunks in their mouth. It’s heartbreaking to see.”

The facility did not comment to a questionnaire, but earlier asserted: “The whales … get far superior medical attention and constant care than any individual in the UK, or other places.”

Uncertain Future and Proposed Solutions

The former employee was fired from the facility in early March following the demise of Eos, an unwell beluga the park staff had to humanely kill. She said the park believed information of the death were shared to the media and she was let go not long after.

The uncertainty over the whales’ outcome has left Burgess and other caretakers in despair. She says the facility’s threat to euthanize its whales is a bargaining chip and is a “extremely difficult” endeavor, adding any efforts to euthanize even a single beluga would require “significant personnel”, trucks and machinery.

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

Burgess backs requests for the whales to be removed right away from the facility, with its failing enclosures and dwindling staff.

In the autumn, the nation’s fisheries minister turned down a bid to transfer the whales to an overseas location.

“Allowing the request would have meant a ongoing existence in captivity and a reversion to public entertainment,” the minister commented. “As Canadians, we know that marine mammals belong in the sea, not in pools for our enjoyment. I could not in clear conscience permit an relocation that would continue the situation these belugas have experienced.”

But the former trainer said the minister’s remarks reflect a broader lack of awareness of the facts of existence for belugas raised in confinement.

“The public needs to grasp these are whales that have spent their whole lives in confinement and they will need ongoing assistance for the remainder of their lives,” she said. “The public just don’t realize that it’s not as easy as saying ‘close it down’.”

Alternative Habitat and Ongoing Debate

As decision makers work to find a answer, proposals have been put forward, 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 important part of sustenance for local populations.

A proposed sanctuary in the region of eastern Canada, which recently received government approval, has proven contentious. The planned location, which includes 100 acres of enclosed sea water, is not yet built. Advocates remain optimistic that it could ultimately represent a long term solution for eight of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among caretakers she’s consulted, there is “no trust there” about what she said is “only an experiment” in the whales’ future.

Others say the idea of a refuge represents a worldwide trend away from captive facilities and could represent a workable approach in the coming months.

Charles Vinick, head of the sanctuary project, said the facility will mimic the mental engagement and diet the whales get from trainers, albeit in a significantly bigger area. He said after the medical condition of whales is fully assessed, which could take months|an extended period|