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Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie is an cute little “sweetheart”. Orion – nicknamed “Onion” – is a large but guardian-like companion. Zephyr has “endless energy” and wiggles like a wiggly creature. Lillooet is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a heart of gold.

A group of thirty captive beluga whales in a Canada-based entertainment facility have become pawns in a tussle between a shuttered park, public officials and welfare campaigners.

But those most familiar with the whales say the intense controversy over their destiny often fails to consider the individual traits of the whales who, after living their entire lives in enclosed habitats, have been closely studied by the caretakers who interact with them daily.

After the national authorities blocked the transfer of the belugas to China, the struggling attraction near the famous falls where they are housed threatened to put them down unless the government funds the expense of keeping them alive. The nation’s marine resources official has denied that demand, placing the 30 whales in an increasingly precarious situation.

Intelligent Sea Creatures

Researchers say that beluga whales’ neuroanatomy, along with their sound replication, problem solving and social skills point to they are deeply intelligent animals – something a former trainer discovered personally.

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

“Establishing those connections over time takes a lot of dedication 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 rewarding.”

The trainer knew the whales were highly intelligent, but she says she was nonetheless amazed by the nuances and quirks in their characters. She formed a special affection for a pair of whales with different temperaments.

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

Growing Opposition and Deteriorating Conditions

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

During her tenure at the facility, multiple belugas and the park’s one killer whale, the orca, passed away. In all, 19 belugas have died at the park since recent years, a number which the facility attributes to expected lifespan, but which activists say indicates the poor conditions in which they were kept.

The park did not admit visitors to the visitors over the recent season, but Burgess says she saw with her own eyes effects of the shutdown. “Structural materials is deteriorating from the tanks because they’re falling apart and not being maintained. The whales are inquisitive and so they take pieces and navigate with fragments in their mouth. It’s distressing to see.”

The park did not comment to a questionnaire, but in the past asserted: “The whales … get far higher quality medical attention and constant attention than any individual in the Britain, or anywhere else.”

Fate in Limbo and Potential Resolutions

Burgess was dismissed from the park in the spring following the demise of a beluga, an sick beluga the park staff had to put down. She said the facility believed particulars of the death were disclosed to the news outlets and she was let go not long after.

The ambiguity over the whales’ fate has left her and current and former trainers in distress. She says the park’s warning to euthanize its whales is a bargaining chip and is a “extremely difficult” task, adding any attempts to put down even a one beluga would require “immense staff”, trucks and specialized tools.

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

Burgess backs calls for the whales to be removed right away from the park, with its deteriorating pools and reduced personnel.

In late September, the nation’s government official turned down a request to send the whales to China.

“Allowing the application would have meant a ongoing situation in confinement and a reversion to public entertainment,” the official wrote. “As the public, we know that whales are meant for the wild, not in enclosures for our amusement. I could not in good conscience permit an export that would prolong the conditions these belugas have experienced.”

But the former trainer said the minister’s statements reflect a more general incorrect perception of the circumstances of existence for belugas raised in confinement.

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

Sanctuary Proposal and Continuing Discussion

As officials attempt to find a resolution, proposals have emerged, some of which have questionable practicality. One proposal called for the belugas to be released into the wilds of northern regions – where whales are a primary resource of nourishment for local populations.

A suggested sanctuary in the province of eastern Canada, which has received official endorsement, has shown to be highly debated. The future site, which includes a large area of penned in ocean, remains undeveloped. Proponents remain hopeful that it could ultimately represent a sustainable resolution for some of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among caretakers she’s spoken with, there is “skepticism there” about what she said is “only an trial” in the whales’ fate.

Different voices say the possibility of a sanctuary reflects a changing attitudes away from captive facilities and could represent a workable solution in the near future.

The project lead, leader of the initiative, said the facility will mimic the intellectual stimulation and nutrition the whales get from trainers, albeit in a more expansive area. He said after the health of whales is fully assessed, which could take months|an extended period|