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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie Botts is an charming little “playful character”. The whale Orion – nicknamed “Onion” – is a big but very loyal friend. Another whale, Zephyr has “endless energy” and moves like a wiggly creature. Lillooet the beluga is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a heart of gold.

A group of thirty captive marine mammals in a Canadian entertainment facility have been entangled in a disagreement between a defunct facility, local and national governments and welfare campaigners.

But those closest to the whales say the heated debate over their destiny often fails to consider the complexities 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 federal government prevented the export of the belugas to a foreign facility, the controversial facility near the famous falls where they are held stated it would consider to euthanize them unless the federal government covers the cost of their care. Canada’s fisheries minister has denied that demand, placing the 30 whales in an increasingly precarious situation.

Intelligent Sea Creatures

Experts say that beluga whales’ brain structure, along with their mimicry abilities, cognitive challenges and communal behavior suggest they are highly cognitive creatures – something a former trainer learned directly.

Burgess spent a significant period as a whale caretaker, a position that involved earning the trust of the sea creatures.

“Developing those relationships 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 rewarding.”

Burgess knew the whales were exceptionally cognitive, but she says she was nevertheless surprised by the subtleties and idiosyncrasies in their personalities. She developed a special affection for a pair of whales with contrasting personalities.

“One whale selected me. The other required effort,” she said. “Both changed the way I view relationships.”

Growing Opposition and Facility Decline

Burgess’s relationship with the whales progressed against a background of growing public opposition to their captivity.

During her three years at the park, multiple belugas and the park’s single orca, Kiska, succumbed. In total, nineteen belugas have died at the park since recent years, a toll which the park attributes to natural mortality, but which campaigners say reflects the substandard environment in which they were kept.

The park did not operate to the public over the recent season, but Burgess says she saw with her own eyes results of the cessation. “Structural materials is deteriorating from the pools because they’re in disrepair and not being repaired. The whales are exploratory and so they take pieces and swim around with chunks in their jaws. It’s distressing to see.”

The park did not comment to a request for comment, but previously stated: “The whales … obtain far superior veterinary services and 24/7 supervision than any individual in the Britain, or elsewhere.”

Uncertain Future and Potential Resolutions

The former employee was terminated from the park in early March following the death of a beluga, an ailing beluga the employees had to put down. She said the park believed information of the death were shared to the press and she was let go shortly thereafter.

The ambiguity over the whales’ future has left Burgess and current and former trainers in anguish. She says the facility’s threat to kill its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “logistically impossible” undertaking, adding any plans to euthanize even a individual beluga would require “significant manpower”, vehicles and specialized tools.

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

Burgess backs demands for the whales to be removed immediately from the park, with its deteriorating pools and reduced personnel.

In the autumn, the nation’s fisheries minister denied a bid to transfer the whales to China.

“Allowing the request would have meant a continued existence in confinement and a reversion to display for amusement,” the minister commented. “As the public, we know that marine mammals belong in the wild, not in tanks for our enjoyment. I could not in ethical standing authorize an transfer that would prolong the treatment these belugas have endured.”

But the former trainer said the minister’s comments indicate a wider lack of awareness of the facts of existence for belugas born in captivity.

“The public needs to understand these are whales that have existed solely in confinement and they will need ongoing assistance for the foreseeable future,” she said. “The public just don’t realize that it’s not as straightforward as saying ‘end operations’.”

Alternative Habitat and Continuing Discussion

As decision makers work to find a resolution, ideas have surfaced, some of which have questionable practicality. One proposal called for the belugas to be released into the natural habitat of Canada’s north – where whales are a key source of nourishment for Inuit communities.

A proposed refuge in the region of Nova Scotia, which recently received government approval, has shown to be contentious. The prospective site, which includes 100 acres of enclosed sea water, doesn’t yet exist. Advocates remain positive that it could in time represent a long term resolution for some of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among caretakers she’s discussed with, there is “skepticism there” about what she said is “simply an untested concept” in the whales’ future.

Others say the possibility of a protected habitat represents a broader global shift away from zoos and aquariums and could represent a workable approach in the near future.

An official, director of the plan, said the facility will mimic the intellectual stimulation and diet the whales get from caretakers, albeit in a much larger environment. He said after the medical condition of whales is fully assessed, which could take months|an extended period|