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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie is an adorable little “playful character”. The whale Orion – nicknamed “Onion” – is a sizeable but fiercely protective friend. Another whale, Zephyr has “constant motion” and wiggles like a worm. Lillooet the beluga is the “loving presence” with a heart of gold.

A group of thirty captive beluga whales in a Canada-based entertainment facility have become pawns in a disagreement between a closed attraction, public officials and animal rights activists.

But those closest to the whales say the intense controversy over their future often fails to consider the individual traits of the whales who, after spending their lives in enclosed habitats, have been thoroughly researched by the humans who see them each day.

After the federal government blocked the export of the belugas to a foreign facility, the struggling attraction near Niagara Falls where they are held warned to euthanize them unless the authorities pays for the expense of their care. Canada’s fisheries minister has refused that demand, placing the 30 whales in an increasingly precarious position.

Highly Cognitive Sea Creatures

Experts say that belugas’ neuroanatomy, along with their vocal imitation skills, cognitive challenges and group interactions point to they are deeply intelligent creatures – something one caretaker discovered directly.

Burgess spent several years as a beluga trainer, a position that required gaining confidence of the aquatic animals.

“Building up those bonds over time takes a lot of regularity and a lot of affection. At the beginning, they’re very unsure of you,” she said. “Eventually, you gain reciprocal understanding. And they start being more trusting with you. It’s just so magical and gratifying.”

The trainer knew the whales were highly intelligent, but she says she was nonetheless surprised by the subtleties and quirks in their characters. She formed a special affection for Eve and Cleopatra with contrasting temperaments.

“One whale accepted me. The other made me earn it,” she said. “They altered the way I understand bonding.”

Public Concerns and Facility Decline

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

During her three years at the attraction, multiple belugas and the park’s single killer whale, Kiska, died. In all, nineteen belugas have died at the park since recent years, a number which the facility attributes to expected lifespan, but which campaigners say reflects the poor conditions in which they were housed.

The park did not admit visitors to the guests over the summer, but the former trainer says she witnessed firsthand consequences of the shutdown. “Concrete is deteriorating from the pools because they’re degrading and not being maintained. The whales are inquisitive and so they grab fragments and navigate with chunks in their mouth. It’s heartbreaking to see.”

The park did not respond to a request for comment, but in the past claimed: “The whales … get far superior health care and 24/7 attention than any human in the UK, or elsewhere.”

Uncertain Future and Proposed Solutions

The former employee was dismissed from the park in the spring following the death of Eos, an ailing beluga the park staff had to humanely kill. She said the facility believed information of the incident were leaked to the news outlets and she was fired soon after.

The ambiguity over the whales’ future has left her and current and former trainers in anguish. She says the facility’s warning to end the lives of its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “practically unfeasible” task, adding any efforts to put down even a individual beluga would require “considerable staff”, equipment and specialized tools.

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

Burgess advocates for demands for the whales to be removed right away from the park, with its failing enclosures and dwindling staff.

In late September, Canada’s fisheries minister denied a request to export the whales to an overseas location.

“Granting the proposal would have meant a continued existence in confinement and a return to public entertainment,” the minister wrote. “As Canadians, we know that whales are meant for the sea, not in pools for our entertainment. I could not in clear conscience authorize an export that would continue the treatment these belugas have experienced.”

But the former trainer said the official’s statements reveal a wider misunderstanding of the realities of living conditions for belugas raised in confinement.

“The people needs to grasp these are whales that have spent their whole lives in enclosed habitats and they will need constant supervision for the rest of their years,” she said. “People just don’t comprehend that it’s not as simple as saying ‘end operations’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Ongoing Debate

As decision makers struggle to find a resolution, proposals have been put forward, some of which have questionable practicality. One proposal called for the belugas to be released into the natural habitat of the Arctic – where whales are a important part of nourishment for Inuit communities.

A suggested protected area in the province of eastern Canada, which recently received regulatory clearance, has shown to be highly debated. The prospective site, which includes a large area of enclosed sea water, is not yet built. Advocates remain hopeful that it could in time represent a sustainable resolution for eight of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among staff she’s discussed with, there is “no trust there” about what she said is “only an untested concept” in the whales’ future.

Some experts say the prospect of a sanctuary reflects a broader global shift away from zoos and aquariums and could represent a viable solution in the near future.

An official, head of the sanctuary project, said the location will mimic the mental engagement and nutrition the whales get from trainers, albeit in a more expansive space. He said after the well-being of whales is fully assessed, which could take months|an extended period|