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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie is an cute little “sweetheart”. The whale Orion – nicknamed “Onion Ring” – is a large but guardian-like companion. Zephyr has “endless energy” and sways like a worm. Lillooet the beluga is the “most affectionate” with a kind nature.

Thirty captive marine mammals in a Canadian entertainment facility have been caught in a struggle between a closed attraction, local and national governments and advocacy groups.

But those working directly with the whales say the intense discussion over their fate often fails to consider the complexities of the whales who, after growing up in enclosed habitats, have been thoroughly researched by the people who see them each day.

After the federal government disallowed the export of the belugas to China, the struggling attraction near the famous falls where they are housed threatened to euthanize them unless the federal government covers the cost of their care. The nation’s marine resources official has denied that request, placing the 30 whales in an dangerously unstable situation.

Intelligent Marine Mammals

Scientists say that beluga whales’ neural makeup, along with their vocal imitation skills, cognitive challenges and social skills indicate they are deeply intelligent mammals – something a former trainer discovered personally.

Burgess spent three years as a beluga trainer, a role that involved gaining confidence of the aquatic animals.

“Establishing those relationships over time takes a lot of consistency and a lot of care. At the start, they’re very unsure of you,” she said. “Eventually, you gain mutual trust. And they start being more vulnerable with you. It’s just so magical and gratifying.”

The trainer knew the whales were highly intelligent, but she says she was even so amazed by the nuances and quirks in their dispositions. She cultivated a particular love for Eve and Cleopatra with opposing temperaments.

“Eve selected me. Cleo required effort,” she said. “Both changed the way I perceive connection.”

Public Concerns and Deteriorating Conditions

Her connection with the whales progressed against a background of growing public opposition to their captivity.

During her three years at the attraction, multiple belugas and the park’s one killer whale, the orca, died. In all, 19 belugas have perished at the park since recent years, a statistic which the park attributes to expected lifespan, but which campaigners say indicates the poor conditions in which they were housed.

The facility did not admit visitors to the visitors over the recent season, but the former trainer says she saw with her own eyes consequences of the closure. “Structural materials is deteriorating from the tanks because they’re in disrepair and not being fixed. The whales are curious and so they grab fragments and move about with fragments in their mouth. It’s distressing to see.”

The facility did not reply to a questionnaire, but in the past asserted: “The whales … obtain far better medical attention and constant care than any individual in the Britain, or elsewhere.”

Uncertain Future and Potential Resolutions

The former employee was terminated from the facility in the spring following the death of Eos, an sick beluga the park staff had to euthanize. She said the facility believed particulars of the death were shared to the news outlets and she was fired not long after.

The lack of clarity over the whales’ fate has left her and staff members in despair. She says the facility’s warning to kill its whales is a leverage tool and is a “practically unfeasible” task, adding any attempts to put down even a single beluga would require “considerable manpower”, trucks and specialized tools.

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

Burgess supports calls for the whales to be taken right away from the facility, with its failing enclosures and shrinking team.

In the autumn, Canada’s fisheries minister rejected a proposal to export the whales to an overseas location.

“To approve the request would have meant a perpetual situation in confinement and a reversion to public entertainment,” the official commented. “As the public, we know that whales belong in the sea, not in pools for our enjoyment. I could not in clear conscience approve an transfer that would continue the situation these belugas have endured.”

But Burgess said the official’s remarks indicate a broader lack of awareness of the circumstances of existence for belugas born in captivity.

“The public needs to understand these are whales that have spent their whole lives in captivity and they will need constant supervision for the remainder of their lives,” she said. “People just don’t understand that it’s not as easy as saying ‘end operations’.”

Alternative Habitat and Ongoing Debate

As authorities attempt to find a solution, suggestions have surfaced, some of which have minimal feasibility. A suggested plan called for the belugas to be released into the open waters of Canada’s north – where whales are a important part of nourishment for local populations.

A suggested protected area in the province of eastern Canada, which recently received regulatory clearance, has proven highly debated. The planned site, which includes 100 acres of protected cove, remains undeveloped. Supporters remain optimistic that it could in time represent a permanent answer for a number of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among staff she’s discussed with, there is “doubts there” about what she said is “merely an untested concept” in the whales’ future.

Different voices say the prospect of a refuge indicates a worldwide trend away from zoos and aquariums and could represent a workable approach in the short term.

An official, leader of the initiative, said the facility will mimic the mental engagement and nutrition the whales obtain 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|