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Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie Botts is an adorable little “ham sandwich”. Orion – called “Onion Ring” – is a big but fiercely protective companion. Zephyr has “endless energy” and moves like a wiggly creature. Lillooet is the “most affectionate” with a kind nature.

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

But those working directly with the whales say the intense controversy over their fate often ignores the individual traits of the whales who, after living their entire lives in enclosed habitats, have been thoroughly researched by the caretakers who work with them regularly.

After the national authorities prevented the export of the belugas to a foreign facility, the struggling attraction near the famous falls where they are housed threatened to euthanize them unless the government funds the cost of their care. Canada’s marine resources official has denied that ultimatum, placing the thirty whales in an ever more uncertain situation.

Highly Cognitive Sea Creatures

Scientists say that belugas’ neuroanatomy, along with their mimicry abilities, cognitive challenges and social skills suggest they are highly cognitive creatures – something one caretaker observed first-hand.

Burgess spent a significant period as a whale caretaker, a role that involved earning the trust of the aquatic animals.

“Developing those bonds over time takes a lot of dedication and a lot of love. At the start, they’re very unsure of you,” she said. “Over time, you gain shared confidence. And they start being more trusting with you. It’s just so magical and fulfilling.”

Burgess knew the whales were highly intelligent, but she says she was nevertheless surprised by the nuances and quirks in their dispositions. She formed a particular love for two female belugas with opposing natures.

“One whale chose me. The other demanded work,” she said. “Both altered the way I view bonding.”

Public Concerns and Deteriorating Conditions

Her interaction with the whales evolved against a context of rising activist criticism to their confinement.

During her tenure at the attraction, seven belugas and the park’s single killer whale, the orca, died. In total, nineteen belugas have perished at the park since recent years, a number which the facility links to expected lifespan, but which campaigners say reflects the substandard environment in which they were maintained.

The facility did not operate to the public over the summer, but the former trainer says she observed directly consequences of the shutdown. “Concrete is breaking off from the pools because they’re falling apart and not being fixed. The whales are curious and so they take pieces and navigate with pieces in their jaws. It’s upsetting to see.”

The park did not reply to a request for comment, but in the past asserted: “The whales … obtain far higher quality health care and constant care than any human in the UK, or elsewhere.”

Fate in Limbo and Proposed Solutions

Burgess was fired from the facility in recent months following the passing of Eos, an unwell beluga the caretakers had to euthanize. She said the park believed details of the death were shared to the news outlets and she was released shortly thereafter.

The ambiguity over the whales’ future has left her and other caretakers in distress. She says the facility’s ultimatum to end the lives of its whales is a leverage tool and is a “extremely difficult” task, adding any attempts to put down even a single beluga would require “significant personnel”, vehicles and machinery.

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

Burgess backs requests for the whales to be taken immediately from the park, with its crumbling tanks and reduced personnel.

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

“To approve the proposal would have meant a continued existence in captivity and a return to performance for audiences,” the minister stated. “As Canadians, we know that belugas belong in the ocean, not in tanks for our amusement. I could not in ethical standing authorize an export that would continue the treatment these belugas have endured.”

But the former trainer said the minister’s comments indicate a broader lack of awareness of the realities of life for belugas living their whole lives in enclosures.

“The people needs to understand these are whales that have spent their whole lives in captivity and they will need human care for the foreseeable future,” she said. “Many just don’t comprehend that it’s not as simple as saying ‘close it down’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Ongoing Debate

As decision makers struggle to find a solution, proposals have emerged, some of which have little basis in reality. A suggested plan called for the belugas to be freed into the natural habitat of Canada’s north – where whales are a primary resource of nourishment for local populations.

A planned protected area in the province of Nova Scotia, which has received regulatory clearance, has proven most controversial. The planned location, which includes a large area of protected cove, remains undeveloped. Proponents remain optimistic that it could ultimately represent a sustainable solution for eight of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among staff she’s spoken with, there is “no trust there” about what she said is “simply an experiment” in the whales’ future.

Different voices say the possibility of a protected habitat represents a broader global shift away from captive facilities and could represent a feasible plan in the near future.

An official, head of the sanctuary project, said the location will mimic the intellectual stimulation and nutrition the whales get from caretakers, albeit in a significantly bigger area. He said after the health of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|