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Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie is an cute little “ham sandwich”. Orion – nicknamed “Onion Ring” – is a sizeable but fiercely protective friend. Zephyr has “constant motion” and sways like a wiggly creature. Lillooet the beluga is the “most affectionate” with a kind nature.

Thirty enclosed beluga whales in a Canadian entertainment facility have been entangled in a disagreement between a closed attraction, local and national governments and animal rights activists.

But those most familiar with the whales say the intense controversy over their future often fails to consider the nuances of the whales who, after growing up in captivity, have been closely studied by the humans who see them each day.

After the federal government disallowed the transfer of the belugas to a foreign facility, the embattled facility near the famous falls where they are housed threatened to euthanize them unless the federal government funds the upkeep of their survival. The nation’s marine resources official has refused that request, placing the thirty whales in an ever more uncertain situation.

Highly Cognitive Marine Mammals

Researchers say that belugas’ neural makeup, along with their sound replication, cognitive challenges and social skills indicate they are remarkably smart animals – something Kristy Burgess discovered personally.

Burgess spent several years as a marine mammal specialist, a job that involved gaining confidence of the sea creatures.

“Developing those bonds over time takes a lot of consistency and a lot of care. At the outset, 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 wonderful and rewarding.”

Burgess knew the whales were exceptionally cognitive, but she says she was even so surprised by the nuances and quirks in their characters. She cultivated a special affection for Eve and Cleopatra with different temperaments.

“One whale chose me. The other required effort,” she said. “They transformed the way I perceive relationships.”

Public Concerns and Facility Decline

Burgess’s relationship with the whales developed against a context of rising activist criticism to their enclosure.

During her tenure at the facility, multiple belugas and the park’s one killer whale, Kiska, passed away. In total, nineteen belugas have died at the park since recent years, a statistic which the facility ascribes to age-related causes, but which activists say reflects the inadequate care in which they were housed.

The facility did not admit visitors to the guests over the recent season, but Burgess says she saw with her own eyes effects of the shutdown. “Concrete is breaking off from the pools because they’re falling apart and not being maintained. The whales are curious and so they take pieces and navigate with pieces in their jaws. It’s heartbreaking to see.”

The facility did not reply to a request for comment, but previously stated: “The whales … get far higher quality veterinary services and around the clock attention than any person in the UK, or elsewhere.”

Fate in Limbo and Potential Resolutions

Burgess was terminated from the park in the spring following the demise of Eos, an unwell beluga the caretakers had to humanely kill. She said the facility suspected details of the death were disclosed to the news outlets and she was fired shortly thereafter.

The uncertainty over the whales’ fate has left Burgess and other caretakers in anguish. She says the facility’s warning to euthanize its whales is a bargaining chip and is a “logistically impossible” task, adding any plans to put down even a individual beluga would require “considerable personnel”, vehicles and heavy equipment.

“It’s impossible in hell the caretakers would ever do it,” she said.

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

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

“Granting the request would have meant a continued life in enclosure and a reversion to performance for audiences,” the official wrote. “As Canadians, we know that whales are meant for the wild, not in pools for our amusement. I could not in good conscience approve an transfer that would prolong the situation these belugas have experienced.”

But Burgess said the minister’s comments reflect a more general misunderstanding of the realities of existence for belugas living their whole lives in enclosures.

“The people needs to realize these are whales that have existed solely in enclosed habitats and they will need constant supervision for the foreseeable future,” she said. “Many just don’t realize that it’s not as easy as saying ‘end operations’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Continuing Discussion

As decision makers attempt to find a answer, suggestions have been put forward, some of which have questionable practicality. An idea called for the belugas to be let go into the open waters of the Arctic – where whales are a important part of sustenance for Indigenous peoples.

A planned protected area in the province of Nova Scotia, which now received regulatory clearance, has proven contentious. The future site, which includes a large area of penned in ocean, remains undeveloped. Supporters remain optimistic that it could in time represent a long term resolution 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 experiment” in the whales’ well-being.

Others say the possibility of a sanctuary indicates a broader global shift away from animal displays and could represent a viable solution in the short term.

An official, director of the sanctuary project, said the site will mimic the cognitive activities and diet the whales get from caretakers, albeit in a significantly bigger environment. He said after the health of whales is fully assessed, which could take months|an extended period|