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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie Botts is an charming small “sweetheart”. The whale Orion – called “Onion” – is a large but fiercely protective friend. Zephyr has “ants in his pants” and wiggles like a worm. Lillooet is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a gentle spirit.

Thirty captive marine mammals in a Canadian entertainment facility have become pawns in a struggle between a closed attraction, local and national governments and animal rights activists.

But those most familiar with the whales say the heated debate over their fate often overlooks the individual traits of the whales who, after growing up in confinement, have been closely studied by the humans who see them each day.

After the Canadian government prevented the sale of the belugas to a foreign facility, the controversial attraction near the famous falls where they are housed threatened to end their lives unless the authorities covers the expense of their survival. Canada’s fisheries minister has rejected that demand, placing the thirty whales in an increasingly precarious circumstance.

Highly Cognitive Marine Mammals

Experts say that belugas’ neuroanatomy, along with their mimicry abilities, problem solving and group interactions indicate they are highly cognitive creatures – something Kristy Burgess observed personally.

Burgess spent three years as a whale caretaker, a role that required gaining confidence of the aquatic animals.

“Developing those relationships over time takes a lot of consistency and a lot of care. At the beginning, they’re very cautious of you,” she said. “In time, you gain shared confidence. And they start being more open with you. It’s just so magical and fulfilling.”

The trainer knew the whales were very smart, but she says she was nevertheless amazed by the subtleties and idiosyncrasies in their personalities. She developed a particular love for two female belugas with different personalities.

“Eve chose me. Cleo demanded work,” she said. “Each changed the way I view bonding.”

Public Concerns and Facility Decline

Her interaction with the whales developed against a background of rising activist criticism to their enclosure.

During her three years at the park, seven belugas and the park’s one orca, the orca, passed away. In all, 19 belugas have perished at the park since recent years, a statistic which the park links to expected lifespan, but which advocates say reflects the poor conditions in which they were kept.

The park did not open to the guests over the summer, but the former trainer says she witnessed firsthand consequences of the cessation. “Concrete is deteriorating from the pools because they’re falling apart and not being maintained. The whales are curious and so they take pieces and move about with pieces in their jaws. It’s heartbreaking to see.”

The park did not reply to a questionnaire, but in the past claimed: “The whales … receive far superior veterinary services and around the clock care than any individual in the United Kingdom, or anywhere else.”

Fate in Limbo and Potential Resolutions

The former employee was fired from the facility in recent months following the passing of Eos, an unwell beluga the park staff had to put down. She said the park believed information of the incident were shared to the news outlets and she was let go shortly thereafter.

The ambiguity over the whales’ outcome has left Burgess and other caretakers in despair. She says the park’s threat to end the lives of its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “extremely difficult” undertaking, adding any attempts to humanely kill even a single beluga would require “significant staff”, equipment and heavy equipment.

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

She supports calls for the whales to be removed promptly from the facility, with its failing enclosures and shrinking team.

In the autumn, the nation’s government official denied a request to send the whales to China.

“Granting the application would have meant a continued situation in captivity and a reversion to performance for audiences,” the official commented. “As the public, we know that marine mammals are meant for the ocean, not in tanks for our enjoyment. I could not in clear conscience authorize an relocation that would perpetuate the conditions these belugas have endured.”

But the former trainer said the official’s comments reflect a broader incorrect perception of the realities of life for belugas born in captivity.

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

Alternative Habitat and Ongoing Debate

As officials attempt to find a resolution, proposals have been put forward, some of which have questionable practicality. One proposal called for the belugas to be freed into the open waters of Canada’s north – where whales are a important part of sustenance for local populations.

A proposed protected area in the province of Nova Scotia, which recently received official endorsement, has proven most controversial. The prospective facility, which includes 100 acres of enclosed sea water, is not yet built. Proponents remain optimistic that it could in time represent a sustainable resolution for a number of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among trainers she’s discussed with, there is “no trust there” about what she said is “simply an untested concept” in the whales’ well-being.

Some experts say the possibility of a refuge reflects a changing attitudes away from captive facilities and could represent a viable approach in the coming months.

The project lead, head of the plan, said the site will simulate the mental engagement and diet the whales get from specialists, albeit in a more expansive area. He said after the health of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|