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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie is an adorable small “sweetheart”. Orion – called “Onion Ring” – is a big but very loyal companion. Zephyr has “ants in his pants” and sways like a worm. Lillooet is the “most affectionate” with a heart of gold.

Thirty captive marine mammals in a Canadian amusement park have been caught in a struggle between a defunct facility, local and national governments and welfare campaigners.

But those working directly with the whales say the impassioned debate over their fate often ignores the nuances of the whales who, after growing up in captivity, have been thoroughly researched by the people who interact with them daily.

After the Canadian government prevented the sale of the belugas to China, the struggling amusement park near the famous falls where they are held stated it would consider to end their lives unless the government covers the cost of their survival. Canada’s fisheries minister has refused that request, placing the thirty whales in an dangerously unstable circumstance.

Highly Cognitive Marine Mammals

Researchers say that beluga whales’ neuroanatomy, along with their mimicry abilities, intellectual tasks and communal behavior point to they are remarkably smart animals – something Kristy Burgess discovered directly.

She spent several years as a whale caretaker, a job that required building relationships of the sea creatures.

“Establishing those relationships over time takes a lot of regularity and a lot of care. At the outset, they’re very wary of you,” she said. “Over time, you gain reciprocal understanding. And they start being more open with you. It’s just so wonderful and gratifying.”

The trainer knew the whales were exceptionally cognitive, but she says she was nevertheless amazed by the details and quirks in their dispositions. She cultivated a deep bond for a pair of whales with contrasting temperaments.

“One whale chose me. Cleo demanded work,” she said. “Each transformed the way I perceive connection.”

Growing Opposition and Deteriorating Conditions

Her connection with the whales evolved against a background of rising activist criticism to their captivity.

During her three years at the park, multiple belugas and the park’s single killer whale, the orca, passed away. In all, 19 belugas have died at the park since recent years, a toll which the facility ascribes to natural mortality, but which advocates say points to the inadequate care in which they were maintained.

The facility did not admit visitors to the public over the recent season, but the former trainer says she saw with her own eyes results of the shutdown. “Structural materials is deteriorating from the tanks because they’re in disrepair and not being repaired. The whales are inquisitive and so they take pieces and swim around with chunks in their jaws. It’s heartbreaking to see.”

The park did not reply to a inquiry, but earlier stated: “The whales … obtain far better medical attention and around the clock supervision than any person in the Britain, or elsewhere.”

Uncertain Future and Proposed Solutions

The former employee was fired from the facility in early March following the passing of a beluga, an ailing beluga the employees had to euthanize. She said the park suspected information of the incident were disclosed to the media and she was released not long after.

The uncertainty over the whales’ future has left her and staff members in anguish. She says the facility’s ultimatum to kill its whales is a bargaining chip and is a “practically unfeasible” endeavor, adding any attempts to euthanize even a single beluga would require “significant manpower”, equipment and specialized tools.

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

She backs calls for the whales to be taken right away from the facility, with its failing enclosures and dwindling staff.

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

“To approve the proposal would have meant a continued situation in confinement and a reversion to display for amusement,” the minister wrote. “As the public, we know that marine mammals are meant for the sea, not in enclosures for our amusement. I could not in good conscience approve an transfer that would perpetuate the treatment these belugas have endured.”

But the former trainer said the official’s statements reveal a more general lack of awareness of the circumstances of life for belugas raised in confinement.

“The people needs to understand these are whales that have spent their whole lives in captivity and they will need human care for the foreseeable future,” she said. “People just don’t comprehend that it’s not as simple as saying ‘end operations’.”

Alternative Habitat and Ongoing Debate

As officials attempt to find a resolution, suggestions have surfaced, some of which have little basis in reality. One proposal called for the belugas to be let go into the natural habitat of Canada’s north – where whales are a primary resource of sustenance for Inuit communities.

A proposed refuge in the province of Nova Scotia, which now received government approval, has proven highly debated. The prospective facility, which includes a large area of protected cove, remains undeveloped. Supporters remain optimistic 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 “no trust there” about what she said is “only an experiment” in the whales’ future.

Others say the possibility of a sanctuary represents a worldwide trend away from animal displays and could represent a workable solution in the coming months.

An official, leader of the plan, said the site will replicate the mental engagement and nutrition the whales receive from trainers, albeit in a significantly bigger space. He said after the medical condition of whales is completely examined, which could take months|an extended period|