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Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie is an cute small “ham sandwich”. Orion – called “Onion Ring” – is a sizeable but guardian-like companion. Zephyr has “endless energy” and sways like a worm. Lillooet the beluga is the “loving presence” with a heart of gold.

Thirty captive marine mammals in a Canada-based amusement park have become pawns in a disagreement between a closed attraction, government authorities and advocacy groups.

But those working directly with the whales say the heated debate over their destiny often ignores the complexities of the whales who, after growing up in enclosed habitats, have been closely studied by the humans who work with them regularly.

After the Canadian government blocked the transfer of the belugas to China, the controversial facility near the famous falls where they are housed threatened to euthanize them unless the federal government pays for the expense of keeping them alive. The nation’s fisheries minister has refused that request, placing the thirty whales in an ever more uncertain situation.

Highly Cognitive Sea Creatures

Experts say that beluga whales’ brain structure, along with their sound replication, intellectual tasks and group interactions point to they are highly cognitive mammals – something one caretaker learned first-hand.

Burgess spent a significant period as a beluga trainer, a role that entailed building relationships of the aquatic animals.

“Establishing those connections over time takes a lot of dedication and a lot of affection. At the beginning, they’re very cautious of you,” she said. “Eventually, you gain shared confidence. And they start being more vulnerable with you. It’s just so magical and rewarding.”

Burgess knew the whales were exceptionally cognitive, but she says she was nevertheless surprised by the subtleties and quirks in their characters. She cultivated a deep bond for Eve and Cleopatra with different natures.

“Eve chose me. The other required effort,” she said. “Both altered the way I understand bonding.”

Growing Opposition and Deteriorating Conditions

Burgess’s interaction with the whales developed against a context of growing public opposition to their enclosure.

During her time at the facility, multiple belugas and the park’s one killer whale, Kiska, died. 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 points to the inadequate care in which they were housed.

The park did not operate to the public over the summer, but Burgess says she saw with her own eyes consequences of the cessation. “Structural materials is falling apart from the pools because they’re falling apart and not being maintained. The whales are curious and so they grab fragments and move about with pieces in their jaws. It’s distressing to see.”

The facility did not comment to a request for comment, but in the past stated: “The whales … get far better veterinary services and around the clock care than any person in the Britain, or anywhere else.”

Fate in Limbo and Proposed Solutions

Burgess was terminated from the park in recent months following the death of a beluga, an unwell beluga the caretakers had to humanely kill. She said the facility believed details of the incident were disclosed to the news outlets and she was let go soon after.

The uncertainty over the whales’ outcome has left her and current and former trainers in distress. She says the park’s warning to euthanize its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “extremely difficult” endeavor, adding any efforts to humanely kill even a one beluga would require “immense personnel”, equipment and specialized tools.

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

Burgess backs calls for the whales to be transferred right away from the park, with its failing enclosures and shrinking team.

In the autumn, Canada’s fisheries minister rejected a proposal to export the whales to an overseas location.

“Allowing the application would have meant a continued situation in captivity and a return to display for amusement,” the official wrote. “As society, we know that whales are meant for the ocean, not in enclosures for our enjoyment. I could not in clear conscience authorize an export that would prolong the treatment these belugas have suffered.”

But the former trainer said the minister’s remarks reveal a more general incorrect perception of the facts of life for belugas born in captivity.

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

Sanctuary Proposal and Ongoing Debate

As officials struggle to find a resolution, ideas have emerged, some of which have questionable practicality. An idea called for the belugas to be released into the natural habitat of Canada’s north – where whales are a key source of food for Indigenous peoples.

A suggested protected area in the region of eastern Canada, which has received official endorsement, has shown to be contentious. The prospective facility, which includes a large area of protected cove, remains undeveloped. Advocates remain optimistic that it could ultimately represent a long term resolution for eight of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among staff she’s consulted, there is “doubts there” about what she said is “only an experiment” in the whales’ future.

Different voices say the prospect of a protected habitat indicates a broader global shift away from captive facilities and could represent a feasible solution in the short term.

The project lead, leader of the plan, said the location will simulate the cognitive activities and nutrition the whales receive from caretakers, albeit in a more expansive area. He said after the medical condition of whales is fully assessed, which could take months|an extended period|