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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie is an cute little “sweetheart”. The whale Orion – nicknamed “Onion” – is a sizeable but guardian-like companion. Zephyr has “constant motion” and sways like a worm. Lillooet is the “loving presence” with a kind nature.

Thirty enclosed marine mammals in a Canadian entertainment facility have been entangled in a tussle between a closed attraction, local and national governments and advocacy groups.

But those working directly with the whales say the intense controversy over their fate often ignores the nuances of the whales who, after living their entire lives in enclosed habitats, have been carefully observed by the caretakers who see them each day.

After the Canadian government blocked the transfer of the belugas to China, the controversial facility near Niagara Falls where they are kept stated it would consider to end their lives unless the federal government pays for the expense of their survival. Canada’s marine resources official has refused that demand, placing the thirty whales in an dangerously unstable circumstance.

Highly Cognitive Marine Mammals

Researchers say that belugas’ neuroanatomy, along with their mimicry abilities, cognitive challenges and communal behavior suggest they are deeply intelligent animals – something Kristy Burgess learned personally.

She spent several years as a whale caretaker, a job that entailed building relationships of the marine predators.

“Establishing those connections over time takes a lot of regularity and a lot of care. At the beginning, they’re very unsure of you,” she said. “Over time, you gain reciprocal understanding. And they start being more open with you. It’s just so magical and gratifying.”

Burgess knew the whales were very smart, but she says she was nevertheless astounded by the nuances and unique traits in their dispositions. She developed a particular love for two female belugas with contrasting personalities.

“Eve selected me. Cleo made me earn it,” she said. “They altered the way I view relationships.”

Public Concerns and Facility Decline

Her connection with the whales developed against a backdrop of rising activist criticism to their enclosure.

During her three years at the park, multiple belugas and the park’s single killer whale, Kiska, succumbed. In all, nineteen belugas have perished at the park since recent years, a number which the facility links to natural mortality, but which campaigners say points to the poor conditions in which they were housed.

The park did not admit visitors to the visitors over the summer, but the former trainer says she observed directly results of the shutdown. “Concrete is falling apart from the enclosures because they’re falling apart and not being fixed. The whales are inquisitive and so they grab fragments and move about with pieces in their jaws. It’s upsetting to see.”

The park did not comment to a request for comment, but earlier asserted: “The whales … obtain far better health care and around the clock supervision than any human in the UK, or other places.”

Uncertain Future and Proposed Solutions

The former employee was fired from the park in the spring following the death of a beluga, an ailing beluga the employees had to put down. She said the facility believed particulars of the death were shared to the news outlets and she was released soon after.

The ambiguity over the whales’ future has left her and other caretakers in anguish. She says the facility’s warning to euthanize its whales is a leverage tool and is a “practically unfeasible” task, adding any plans to put down even a individual beluga would require “considerable manpower”, trucks and specialized tools.

“There’s no way in hell the employees would ever do it,” she said.

She advocates for demands for the whales to be removed promptly from the park, with its deteriorating pools and reduced personnel.

In recent months, the nation’s fisheries minister turned down a proposal to transfer the whales to China.

“Granting the application would have meant a ongoing existence in enclosure and a reversion to performance for audiences,” the official commented. “As the public, we know that marine mammals are meant for the wild, not in enclosures for our enjoyment. I could not in clear conscience permit an transfer that would continue the treatment these belugas have experienced.”

But Burgess said the official’s statements reveal a wider misunderstanding of the realities of living conditions for belugas living their whole lives in enclosures.

“The society needs to realize these are whales that have existed solely in captivity and they will need human care for the foreseeable future,” she said. “The public just don’t understand that it’s not as simple as saying ‘shut it down’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Continuing Discussion

As decision makers work to find a solution, ideas have been put forward, some of which have minimal feasibility. An idea called for the belugas to be released into the open waters of northern regions – where whales are a key source of food for local populations.

A suggested refuge in the province of eastern Canada, which has received government approval, has shown to be most controversial. The prospective site, which includes extensive space of enclosed sea water, remains undeveloped. Supporters remain optimistic that it could ultimately represent a long term resolution for some of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among caretakers she’s consulted, there is “no trust there” about what she said is “merely an trial” in the whales’ fate.

Others say the prospect of a refuge represents a broader global shift away from zoos and aquariums and could represent a viable plan in the near future.

Charles Vinick, leader of the initiative, said the facility will mimic the mental engagement and diet the whales obtain from trainers, albeit in a much larger environment. He said after the well-being of whales is completely examined, which could take months|an extended period|