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Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie is an cute little “sweetheart”. The whale Orion – nicknamed “Onion Ring” – is a sizeable but very loyal companion. Another whale, Zephyr has “constant motion” and wiggles like a worm. Lillooet the beluga is the “loving presence” with a gentle spirit.

A group of thirty enclosed beluga whales in a Canadian amusement park have been entangled in a struggle between a shuttered park, government authorities and animal rights activists.

But those closest to the whales say the heated discussion over their destiny often fails to consider the nuances of the whales who, after spending their lives in confinement, have been carefully observed by the caretakers who see them each day.

After the federal government prevented the transfer of the belugas to China, the struggling amusement park near the famous falls where they are held warned to euthanize them unless the government funds the cost of their survival. The nation’s fisheries minister has denied that request, placing the 30 whales in an ever more uncertain situation.

Intelligent Sea Creatures

Researchers say that beluga whales’ brain structure, along with their sound replication, problem solving and group interactions suggest they are remarkably smart mammals – something a former trainer discovered directly.

Burgess spent a significant period as a marine mammal specialist, a job that entailed earning the trust of the sea creatures.

“Developing those connections over time takes a lot of regularity and a lot of affection. At the outset, they’re very unsure of you,” she said. “Over time, you gain mutual trust. And they start being more vulnerable with you. It’s just so magical and fulfilling.”

Burgess knew the whales were highly intelligent, but she says she was even so amazed by the subtleties and quirks in their dispositions. She cultivated a special affection for two female belugas with different natures.

“One whale selected me. The other required effort,” she said. “Each changed the way I understand bonding.”

Public Concerns and Facility Decline

Burgess’s connection with the whales progressed against a context of growing public opposition to their captivity.

During her tenure at the attraction, multiple belugas and the park’s one orca, the orca, succumbed. In total, 19 belugas have perished at the park since recent years, a toll which the park links to natural mortality, but which campaigners say indicates the substandard environment in which they were maintained.

The facility did not admit visitors to the guests over the summer, but Burgess says she observed directly results of the cessation. “Structural materials is falling apart from the pools because they’re degrading and not being fixed. The whales are curious and so they take pieces and move about with chunks in their jaws. It’s distressing to see.”

The facility did not respond to a request for comment, but previously stated: “The whales … receive far better health care and constant supervision than any individual in the United Kingdom, or other places.”

Fate in Limbo and Potential Resolutions

The former employee was terminated from the park in the spring following the passing of a beluga, an unwell beluga the park staff had to humanely kill. She said the facility thought information of the death were shared to the press and she was released shortly thereafter.

The lack of clarity over the whales’ fate has left Burgess and staff members in despair. She says the park’s warning to kill its whales is a leverage tool and is a “extremely difficult” task, adding any plans to put down even a one beluga would require “considerable staff”, trucks and specialized tools.

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

Burgess advocates for calls for the whales to be taken right away from the park, with its deteriorating pools and shrinking team.

In the autumn, the nation’s government official turned down a bid to export the whales to an overseas location.

“To approve the request would have meant a continued life in captivity and a reversion to display for amusement,” the official stated. “As the public, we know that whales belong in the wild, not in enclosures for our amusement. I could not in good conscience authorize an transfer that would prolong the treatment these belugas have endured.”

But the former trainer said the minister’s comments reflect a wider lack of awareness of the facts of life for belugas living their whole lives in enclosures.

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

Alternative Habitat and Ongoing Debate

As officials attempt to find a resolution, proposals have emerged, some of which have little basis in reality. A suggested plan called for the belugas to be released into the open waters of the Arctic – where whales are a key source of nourishment for Inuit communities.

A proposed protected area in the province of eastern Canada, which has received government approval, has been most controversial. The planned site, which includes extensive space of penned in ocean, is not yet built. Proponents remain optimistic that it could in time represent a long term resolution for some of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among staff she’s discussed with, there is “doubts there” about what she said is “simply an trial” in the whales’ future.

Different voices say the idea of a protected habitat represents a worldwide trend away from captive facilities and could represent a workable approach in the coming months.

Charles Vinick, leader of the sanctuary project, said the site will mimic the intellectual stimulation and feeding regimen the whales obtain from specialists, albeit in a more expansive area. He said after the medical condition of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|