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Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie is an charming small “sweetheart”. Orion – nicknamed “Onion Ring” – is a sizeable but guardian-like friend. Zephyr has “constant motion” and wiggles like a wiggly creature. Lillooet the beluga is the “most affectionate” with a gentle spirit.

Thirty enclosed beluga whales in a Canada-based entertainment facility have been entangled in a disagreement between a defunct facility, government authorities and animal rights activists.

But those most familiar with the whales say the intense discussion over their destiny often overlooks the nuances of the whales who, after living their entire lives in enclosed habitats, have been thoroughly researched by the humans who see them each day.

After the federal government prevented the transfer of the belugas to China, the embattled amusement park near the famous falls where they are held threatened to end their lives unless the government pays for the cost of keeping them alive. Canada’s marine resources official has refused that demand, placing the 30 whales in an increasingly precarious situation.

Highly Cognitive Sea Creatures

Researchers say that beluga whales’ neuroanatomy, along with their mimicry abilities, problem solving and communal behavior point to they are highly cognitive creatures – something a former trainer learned directly.

Burgess spent several years as a beluga trainer, a job that involved earning the trust of the aquatic animals.

“Building up those connections over time takes a lot of regularity and a lot of affection. At the beginning, they’re very cautious of you,” she said. “Over time, you gain shared confidence. And they start being more vulnerable with you. It’s just so wonderful and fulfilling.”

Burgess knew the whales were very smart, but she says she was nonetheless surprised by the nuances and unique traits in their characters. She formed a particular love for Eve and Cleopatra with opposing personalities.

“Eve accepted me. The other made me earn it,” she said. “Both transformed the way I view connection.”

Public Concerns and Facility Decline

Her connection with the whales progressed against a background of increasing societal concern to their confinement.

During her tenure at the attraction, multiple belugas and the park’s one killer whale, Kiska, died. In total, nineteen belugas have perished at the park since recent years, a statistic which the facility attributes to natural mortality, but which advocates say indicates the poor conditions in which they were kept.

The facility did not operate to the guests over the recent season, but Burgess says she saw with her own eyes effects of the closure. “Structural materials is deteriorating from the enclosures because they’re in disrepair and not being maintained. The whales are curious and so they grab fragments and move about with pieces in their mouth. It’s upsetting to see.”

The facility did not respond to a questionnaire, but previously claimed: “The whales … obtain far superior medical attention and constant care than any individual in the UK, or anywhere else.”

Fate in Limbo and Proposed Solutions

Burgess was fired from the park in early March following the death of Eos, an ailing beluga the park staff had to humanely kill. She said the park thought details of the incident were shared to the news outlets and she was released shortly thereafter.

The lack of clarity over the whales’ outcome has left Burgess and other caretakers in despair. She says the facility’s ultimatum to kill its whales is a bargaining chip and is a “logistically impossible” undertaking, adding any attempts to humanely kill even a single beluga would require “immense personnel”, equipment and heavy equipment.

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

She supports requests for the whales to be removed immediately from the facility, with its failing enclosures and dwindling staff.

In late September, the nation’s government official turned down a request to send the whales to an overseas location.

“To approve the application would have meant a continued situation in enclosure and a return to display for amusement,” the minister commented. “As the public, we know that whales belong in the wild, not in pools for our amusement. I could not in ethical standing permit an export that would perpetuate the conditions these belugas have experienced.”

But the former trainer said the minister’s comments reflect a more general incorrect perception of the realities of life for belugas living their whole lives in enclosures.

“The public needs to understand these are whales that have lived entirely in enclosed habitats and they will need ongoing assistance for the remainder of their lives,” she said. “People just don’t comprehend that it’s not as easy as saying ‘end operations’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Continuing Discussion

As officials attempt to find a solution, ideas have surfaced, some of which have questionable practicality. A suggested plan called for the belugas to be released into the natural habitat of the Arctic – where whales are a important part of nourishment for Inuit communities.

A proposed protected area in the region of Nova Scotia, which now received government approval, has proven contentious. The future location, which includes a large area of protected cove, is not yet built. Proponents remain optimistic that it could in time represent a long term solution for eight of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among staff she’s spoken with, there is “no trust there” about what she said is “only an trial” in the whales’ future.

Different voices say the possibility of a protected habitat represents a worldwide trend away from captive facilities and could represent a workable plan in the short term.

An official, director of the plan, said the facility will mimic the mental engagement and feeding regimen the whales receive from caretakers, albeit in a much larger space. He said after the medical condition of whales is fully assessed, which could take months|an extended period|