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Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie Botts is an charming little “ham sandwich”. Orion – nicknamed “Onion Ring” – is a large but fiercely protective friend. Zephyr has “constant motion” and wiggles like a wiggly creature. Lillooet is the “loving presence” with a kind nature.

Thirty enclosed beluga whales in a Canadian entertainment facility have been entangled in a struggle between a closed attraction, public officials and welfare campaigners.

But those most familiar with the whales say the intense discussion over their fate often ignores the complexities of the whales who, after living their entire lives in captivity, have been carefully observed by the caretakers who work with them regularly.

After the national authorities blocked the transfer of the belugas to a foreign facility, the controversial amusement park near the famous falls where they are kept threatened to euthanize them unless the federal government pays for the cost of keeping them alive. The nation’s fisheries minister has denied that ultimatum, placing the 30 whales in an increasingly precarious circumstance.

Intelligent Sea Creatures

Experts say that beluga whales’ neural makeup, along with their sound replication, problem solving and communal behavior suggest they are highly cognitive mammals – something Kristy Burgess observed directly.

She spent a significant period as a marine mammal specialist, a position that entailed gaining confidence of the sea creatures.

“Establishing those relationships over time takes a lot of dedication and a lot of affection. At the outset, 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 extraordinary and rewarding.”

The trainer knew the whales were very smart, but she says she was nonetheless surprised by the subtleties and unique traits in their characters. She developed a deep bond for Eve and Cleopatra with opposing personalities.

“Eve accepted me. Cleo made me earn it,” she said. “Both transformed the way I understand bonding.”

Public Concerns and Facility Decline

Her connection with the whales progressed against a context of increasing societal concern to their enclosure.

During her time at the park, seven belugas and the park’s single orca, the orca, died. In all, 19 belugas have perished at the park since recent years, a number which the facility ascribes to age-related causes, but which advocates say points to the substandard environment in which they were housed.

The facility did not operate to the guests over the summer, but the former trainer says she observed directly consequences of the closure. “Structural materials is breaking off from the enclosures because they’re in disrepair and not being maintained. The whales are curious and so they grab fragments and swim around with chunks in their jaws. It’s heartbreaking to see.”

The facility did not comment to a questionnaire, but earlier claimed: “The whales … get far superior medical attention and 24/7 attention than any individual in the United Kingdom, or anywhere else.”

Uncertain Future and Proposed Solutions

The former employee was terminated from the park in the spring following the demise of a beluga, an unwell beluga the caretakers had to euthanize. She said the park suspected information of the incident were shared to the news outlets and she was fired not long after.

The uncertainty over the whales’ fate has left Burgess and current and former trainers in anguish. She says the park’s threat to end the lives of its whales is a leverage tool and is a “practically unfeasible” undertaking, adding any efforts to put down even a individual beluga would require “immense personnel”, trucks and heavy equipment.

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

Burgess supports requests for the whales to be taken promptly from the facility, with its crumbling tanks and reduced personnel.

In the autumn, the nation’s fisheries minister turned down a bid to send the whales to China.

“To approve the proposal would have meant a continued situation in captivity and a return to display for amusement,” the official wrote. “As Canadians, we know that whales belong in the sea, not in enclosures for our enjoyment. I could not in good conscience approve an relocation that would perpetuate the conditions these belugas have suffered.”

But the former trainer said the minister’s comments indicate a broader misunderstanding of the realities of existence for belugas born in captivity.

“The public needs to understand these are whales that have lived entirely in enclosed habitats and they will need constant supervision for the foreseeable future,” she said. “The public just don’t realize that it’s not as easy as saying ‘shut it down’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Continuing Discussion

As officials work to find a solution, proposals have been put forward, some of which have little basis in reality. A suggested plan called for the belugas to be released into the open waters of northern regions – where whales are a primary resource of nourishment for local populations.

A suggested sanctuary in the province of Nova Scotia, which has received official endorsement, has shown to be highly debated. The planned facility, which includes 100 acres of enclosed sea water, remains undeveloped. Proponents remain hopeful that it could ultimately represent a long term solution for a number of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among caretakers she’s spoken with, there is “skepticism there” about what she said is “only an untested concept” in the whales’ well-being.

Some experts say the prospect of a sanctuary reflects a broader global shift away from captive facilities and could represent a viable approach in the short term.

The project lead, leader of the plan, said the location will replicate the mental engagement and feeding regimen the whales obtain from specialists, albeit in a significantly bigger space. He said after the medical condition of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|