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Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie Botts is an adorable small “playful character”. Orion – called “Onion Ring” – is a sizeable but fiercely protective companion. Zephyr has “constant motion” and moves like a worm. Lillooet is the “loving presence” with a kind nature.

A group of thirty captive beluga whales in a Canada-based entertainment facility have been entangled in a tussle between a closed attraction, government authorities and welfare campaigners.

But those working directly with the whales say the impassioned discussion over their fate often overlooks the individual traits of the whales who, after living their entire lives in enclosed habitats, have been thoroughly researched by the caretakers who see them each day.

After the Canadian government blocked the transfer of the belugas to China, the controversial amusement park near the famous falls where they are held threatened to put them down unless the federal government funds the upkeep of their care. The nation’s marine resources official has refused that request, placing the thirty whales in an increasingly precarious circumstance.

Highly Cognitive Sea Creatures

Experts say that beluga whales’ neuroanatomy, along with their sound replication, problem solving and group interactions indicate they are highly cognitive animals – something Kristy Burgess discovered directly.

She spent a significant period as a marine mammal specialist, a position that entailed building relationships of the marine predators.

“Establishing those bonds over time takes a lot of dedication and a lot of affection. At the outset, they’re very unsure of you,” she said. “In time, you gain shared confidence. And they start being more trusting with you. It’s just so magical and fulfilling.”

The trainer knew the whales were exceptionally cognitive, but she says she was nonetheless surprised by the subtleties and quirks in their personalities. She cultivated a deep bond for a pair of whales with different temperaments.

“One whale accepted me. The other required effort,” she said. “They altered the way I view bonding.”

Growing Opposition and Deteriorating Conditions

Her interaction with the whales progressed against a backdrop of increasing societal concern to their captivity.

During her tenure at the park, seven belugas and the park’s single killer whale, the orca, passed away. In total, 19 belugas have died at the park since recent years, a statistic which the park ascribes to age-related causes, but which campaigners say reflects the poor conditions in which they were maintained.

The facility did not admit visitors to the guests over the recent season, but Burgess says she saw with her own eyes results of the shutdown. “Concrete is deteriorating from the tanks because they’re falling apart and not being repaired. The whales are curious and so they take pieces and move about with fragments in their jaws. It’s upsetting to see.”

The facility did not comment to a request for comment, but previously asserted: “The whales … obtain far better veterinary services and constant care than any person in the Britain, or elsewhere.”

Uncertain Future and Proposed Solutions

The former employee was fired from the park in recent months following the passing of Eos, an unwell beluga the employees had to put down. She said the facility suspected information of the incident were disclosed to the press and she was let go soon after.

The lack of clarity over the whales’ fate has left her and current and former trainers in anguish. She says the park’s warning to kill its whales is a bargaining chip and is a “practically unfeasible” endeavor, adding any attempts to humanely kill even a one beluga would require “considerable personnel”, equipment and heavy equipment.

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

She backs requests for the whales to be transferred promptly from the facility, with its deteriorating pools and reduced personnel.

In recent months, the nation’s government official turned down a request to export the whales to an overseas location.

“Granting the application would have meant a continued existence in confinement and a reversion to display for amusement,” the official commented. “As Canadians, we know that belugas are meant for the wild, not in tanks for our amusement. I could not in clear conscience authorize an relocation that would continue the situation these belugas have endured.”

But Burgess said the official’s statements indicate a wider lack of awareness of the realities of life for belugas raised in confinement.

“The society needs to grasp these are whales that have existed solely in captivity and they will need human care for the remainder of their lives,” she said. “The public just don’t understand that it’s not as easy as saying ‘end operations’.”

Alternative Habitat and Ongoing Debate

As authorities struggle to find a solution, ideas have emerged, some of which have little basis in reality. One proposal called for the belugas to be freed into the natural habitat of the Arctic – where whales are a key source of sustenance for local populations.

A proposed refuge in the province of eastern Canada, which now received government approval, has shown to be contentious. The future location, which includes a large area of penned in ocean, remains undeveloped. Proponents remain optimistic that it could ultimately represent a sustainable resolution for a number of the whales.

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

Others say the prospect of a refuge represents a worldwide trend away from captive facilities and could represent a workable approach in the short term.

Charles Vinick, director of the plan, said the site will replicate the mental engagement and diet the whales obtain from caretakers, albeit in a more expansive area. He said after the medical condition of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|