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Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie is an cute small “playful character”. Orion – called “Onion Ring” – is a large but guardian-like companion. Another whale, Zephyr has “ants in his pants” and sways like a wiggly creature. Lillooet is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a heart of gold.

Thirty captive beluga whales in a Canadian amusement park have become pawns in a struggle between a defunct facility, public officials and advocacy groups.

But those most familiar with the whales say the impassioned controversy over their future often ignores the complexities of the whales who, after growing up in enclosed habitats, have been carefully observed by the people who interact with them daily.

After the Canadian government prevented the sale of the belugas to a foreign facility, the controversial facility near the famous falls where they are housed threatened to put them down unless the federal government pays for the cost of keeping them alive. The nation’s marine resources official has refused that ultimatum, placing the 30 whales in an increasingly precarious circumstance.

Intelligent Marine Mammals

Experts say that belugas’ neuroanatomy, along with their sound replication, problem solving and communal behavior indicate they are remarkably smart creatures – something a former trainer observed directly.

Burgess spent several years as a marine mammal specialist, a role that entailed gaining confidence of the marine predators.

“Establishing those bonds over time takes a lot of consistency and a lot of affection. At the beginning, they’re very unsure of you,” she said. “Over time, you gain shared confidence. And they start being more vulnerable with you. It’s just so magical and gratifying.”

Burgess knew the whales were highly intelligent, but she says she was nonetheless amazed by the subtleties and quirks in their characters. She developed a particular love for a pair of whales with opposing personalities.

“Eve chose me. The other made me earn it,” she said. “Each changed the way I perceive connection.”

Growing Opposition and Facility Decline

Burgess’s interaction with the whales evolved against a backdrop of growing public opposition to their confinement.

During her three years at the park, seven belugas and the park’s single orca, Kiska, died. In total, 19 belugas have died at the park since recent years, a statistic which the park attributes to natural mortality, but which campaigners say indicates the poor conditions in which they were maintained.

The park did not operate to the visitors over the recent season, but Burgess says she observed directly effects of the cessation. “Structural materials is breaking off from the enclosures because they’re degrading and not being maintained. The whales are curious and so they take pieces and swim around with fragments in their jaws. It’s heartbreaking to see.”

The facility did not respond to a questionnaire, but previously stated: “The whales … obtain far superior medical attention and 24/7 supervision than any person in the UK, or other places.”

Fate in Limbo and Proposed Solutions

The former employee was terminated from the facility in recent months following the passing of Eos, an unwell beluga the park staff had to put down. She said the park suspected details of the incident were disclosed to the news outlets and she was let go not long after.

The ambiguity over the whales’ fate has left Burgess and other caretakers in anguish. She says the facility’s warning to kill its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “logistically impossible” task, adding any plans to put down even a one beluga would require “significant personnel”, equipment and specialized tools.

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

Burgess advocates for requests for the whales to be transferred promptly from the facility, with its crumbling tanks and dwindling staff.

In recent months, Canada’s government official turned down a bid to export the whales to an overseas location.

“Granting the request would have meant a perpetual life in enclosure and a reversion to public entertainment,” the minister wrote. “As Canadians, we know that belugas belong in the sea, not in enclosures for our amusement. I could not in ethical standing approve an export that would continue the treatment these belugas have suffered.”

But the former trainer said the minister’s remarks reveal a wider misunderstanding of the realities of living conditions 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 human care for the rest of their years,” she said. “People just don’t understand that it’s not as simple as saying ‘end operations’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Ongoing Debate

As decision makers struggle to find a solution, proposals have surfaced, some of which have minimal feasibility. A suggested plan called for the belugas to be let go into the natural habitat of northern regions – where whales are a important part of nourishment for local populations.

A suggested refuge in the region of eastern Canada, which has received official endorsement, has proven most controversial. The future site, which includes 100 acres of enclosed sea water, remains undeveloped. Advocates remain optimistic that it could ultimately represent a permanent resolution for some of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among staff she’s discussed with, there is “doubts there” about what she said is “only an untested concept” in the whales’ well-being.

Others say the idea of a protected habitat represents a broader global shift away from captive facilities and could represent a feasible approach in the short term.

An official, leader of the plan, said the location will simulate the cognitive activities and diet the whales obtain from trainers, albeit in a more expansive space. He said after the medical condition of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|