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Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie Botts is an charming little “sweetheart”. The whale Orion – called “Onion Ring” – is a sizeable but fiercely protective companion. Zephyr has “constant motion” and moves like a wiggly creature. Lillooet is the “loving presence” with a heart of gold.

Thirty enclosed marine mammals in a Canadian entertainment facility have been caught in a disagreement between a defunct facility, government authorities and welfare campaigners.

But those closest to the whales say the impassioned debate over their fate often fails to consider the nuances of the whales who, after spending their lives in confinement, have been carefully observed by the humans who interact with them daily.

After the Canadian government blocked the sale of the belugas to China, the controversial facility near the famous falls where they are housed stated it would consider to end their lives unless the authorities funds the expense of keeping them alive. Canada’s marine resources official has rejected that demand, placing the 30 whales in an dangerously unstable circumstance.

Intelligent Marine Mammals

Researchers say that beluga whales’ brain structure, along with their sound replication, problem solving and social skills indicate they are remarkably smart animals – something a former trainer discovered personally.

She spent a significant period as a beluga trainer, a role that entailed earning the trust of the sea creatures.

“Developing those bonds over time takes a lot of dedication and a lot of affection. At the outset, they’re very wary of you,” she said. “Over time, you gain mutual trust. And they start being more open with you. It’s just so magical and gratifying.”

Burgess knew the whales were highly intelligent, but she says she was even so astounded by the details and idiosyncrasies in their characters. She developed a special affection for two female belugas with contrasting temperaments.

“Eve accepted me. The other required effort,” she said. “Each changed the way I perceive connection.”

Growing Opposition and Deteriorating Conditions

Her connection with the whales progressed against a background of increasing societal concern to their confinement.

During her time at the facility, seven belugas and the park’s single killer whale, Kiska, passed away. In total, 19 belugas have perished at the park since recent years, a statistic which the park ascribes to age-related causes, but which activists say points to the inadequate care in which they were kept.

The park did not open to the visitors over the summer, but Burgess says she witnessed firsthand results of the cessation. “Concrete is deteriorating from the tanks because they’re in disrepair and not being repaired. The whales are curious and so they take pieces and swim around with chunks in their jaws. It’s upsetting to see.”

The facility did not respond to a request for comment, but previously asserted: “The whales … obtain far better medical attention and constant care than any person in the United Kingdom, or elsewhere.”

Uncertain Future and Proposed Solutions

The former employee was terminated from the facility in the spring following the demise of a beluga, an unwell beluga the employees had to humanely kill. She said the park believed details of the incident were leaked to the press and she was fired soon after.

The lack of clarity over the whales’ outcome has left Burgess and current and former trainers in distress. She says the park’s threat to euthanize its whales is a leverage tool and is a “logistically impossible” endeavor, adding any plans to euthanize even a single beluga would require “considerable staff”, equipment and heavy equipment.

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

She supports demands for the whales to be taken immediately from the park, with its crumbling tanks and shrinking team.

In late September, Canada’s fisheries minister turned down a request to export the whales to China.

“To approve the application would have meant a perpetual situation in enclosure and a reversion to performance for audiences,” the minister wrote. “As the public, we know that whales should be in the wild, not in enclosures for our amusement. I could not in ethical standing approve an export that would perpetuate the treatment these belugas have experienced.”

But Burgess said the official’s comments indicate a broader lack of awareness of the circumstances of existence for belugas born in captivity.

“The people needs to grasp these are whales that have existed solely in captivity and they will need ongoing assistance for the rest of their years,” she said. “The public just don’t comprehend that it’s not as easy as saying ‘end operations’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Ongoing Debate

As authorities attempt to find a answer, ideas have surfaced, some of which have questionable practicality. One proposal called for the belugas to be released into the wilds of Canada’s north – where whales are a key source of nourishment for Indigenous peoples.

A planned sanctuary in the province of Nova Scotia, which now received government approval, has shown to be most controversial. The future site, which includes a large area of enclosed sea water, doesn’t yet exist. Advocates remain positive that it could eventually represent a long term resolution for some of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among trainers she’s consulted, there is “skepticism there” about what she said is “merely an untested concept” in the whales’ well-being.

Some experts say the prospect of a protected habitat indicates a worldwide trend away from animal displays and could represent a workable plan in the short term.

Charles Vinick, head of the sanctuary project, said the facility will mimic the mental engagement and nutrition the whales receive from trainers, albeit in a more expansive area. He said after the medical condition of whales is fully assessed, which could take months|an extended period|