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Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie is an charming small “sweetheart”. The whale Orion – called “Onion” – is a sizeable but fiercely protective friend. Another whale, Zephyr has “endless energy” and sways like a wiggly creature. Lillooet is the “most affectionate” with a gentle spirit.

Thirty captive marine mammals in a Canada-based amusement park have become pawns in a struggle between a closed attraction, public officials and animal rights activists.

But those closest to the whales say the impassioned discussion over their fate often ignores the complexities of the whales who, after growing up in confinement, 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 struggling amusement park near the famous falls where they are housed stated it would consider to end their lives unless the authorities pays for the cost of their care. Canada’s marine resources official has refused that ultimatum, placing the 30 whales in an ever more uncertain circumstance.

Highly Cognitive Sea Creatures

Researchers say that beluga whales’ brain structure, along with their mimicry abilities, intellectual tasks and communal behavior indicate they are deeply intelligent creatures – something a former trainer discovered first-hand.

Burgess spent several years as a whale caretaker, a role that required earning the trust of the sea creatures.

“Developing those connections over time takes a lot of dedication and a lot of care. 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.”

The trainer knew the whales were highly intelligent, but she says she was nonetheless surprised by the details and quirks in their personalities. She developed a deep bond for a pair of whales with contrasting natures.

“One whale selected me. Cleo required effort,” she said. “Each altered the way I view relationships.”

Growing Opposition and Deteriorating Conditions

Her relationship with the whales developed against a background of rising activist criticism to their confinement.

During her time at the attraction, seven belugas and the park’s single orca, Kiska, succumbed. In all, 19 belugas have died at the park since recent years, a statistic which the park attributes to expected lifespan, but which activists say indicates the inadequate care in which they were housed.

The park did not open to the visitors over the recent season, but the former trainer says she saw with her own eyes effects of the cessation. “Concrete is deteriorating from the pools because they’re degrading and not being fixed. The whales are exploratory and so they grab fragments and move about with pieces in their mouth. It’s distressing to see.”

The park did not comment to a inquiry, but in the past stated: “The whales … receive far higher quality medical attention and around the clock care than any person in the UK, or elsewhere.”

Uncertain Future and Potential Resolutions

The former employee was terminated from the facility in recent months following the passing of a beluga, an ailing beluga the park staff had to euthanize. She said the park suspected details of the incident were shared to the press and she was fired soon after.

The ambiguity over the whales’ future has left Burgess and other caretakers in distress. She says the facility’s warning to kill its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “logistically impossible” task, adding any plans to put down even a single beluga would require “immense staff”, vehicles and machinery.

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

She advocates for requests for the whales to be transferred right away from the park, with its deteriorating pools and reduced personnel.

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

“Allowing the application would have meant a continued life in confinement and a reversion to display for amusement,” the official wrote. “As Canadians, we know that marine mammals belong in the wild, not in tanks for our entertainment. I could not in good conscience approve an export that would prolong the situation these belugas have suffered.”

But the former trainer said the official’s statements reveal a broader incorrect perception of the facts of existence for belugas born in captivity.

“The people needs to understand these are whales that have spent their whole lives in captivity and they will need ongoing assistance for the remainder of their lives,” she said. “Many just don’t realize that it’s not as straightforward as saying ‘close it down’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Continuing Discussion

As authorities work to find a solution, proposals have surfaced, some of which have minimal feasibility. A suggested plan called for the belugas to be freed into the natural habitat of the Arctic – where whales are a key source of food for local populations.

A planned refuge in the region of Nova Scotia, which has received government approval, has shown to be contentious. The prospective location, which includes extensive space of enclosed sea water, doesn’t yet exist. Supporters remain optimistic that it could ultimately represent a sustainable solution for some of the whales.

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

Some experts say the prospect of a refuge represents a changing attitudes away from captive facilities and could represent a feasible solution in the near future.

An official, director of the initiative, said the location will replicate the intellectual stimulation and feeding regimen the whales obtain from specialists, albeit in a more expansive environment. He said after the medical condition of whales is completely examined, which could take months|an extended period|