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Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie Botts is an cute small “playful character”. Orion – called “Onion Ring” – is a big but fiercely protective companion. Another whale, Zephyr has “endless energy” and sways like a wiggly creature. Lillooet the beluga is the “most affectionate” with a gentle spirit.

Thirty enclosed marine mammals in a Canada-based entertainment facility have become pawns in a disagreement between a closed attraction, public officials and welfare campaigners.

But those working directly with the whales say the intense discussion over their fate often overlooks the nuances of the whales who, after growing up in confinement, have been thoroughly researched by the people who interact with them daily.

After the national authorities prevented the export of the belugas to China, the struggling attraction near Niagara Falls where they are held warned to end their lives unless the government covers the expense of keeping them alive. The nation’s marine resources official has denied that request, placing the thirty whales in an increasingly precarious situation.

Intelligent Sea Creatures

Scientists say that belugas’ brain structure, along with their sound replication, intellectual tasks and social skills point to they are remarkably smart animals – something a former trainer discovered personally.

Burgess spent several years as a whale caretaker, a position that entailed earning the trust of the aquatic animals.

“Establishing those relationships over time takes a lot of consistency and a lot of affection. At the beginning, they’re very cautious of you,” she said. “In time, you gain reciprocal understanding. And they start being more trusting with you. It’s just so magical and gratifying.”

Burgess knew the whales were exceptionally cognitive, but she says she was even so amazed by the details and unique traits in their dispositions. She developed a particular love for a pair of whales with different temperaments.

“Eve chose me. The other demanded work,” she said. “Both transformed the way I understand relationships.”

Public Concerns and Facility Decline

Burgess’s interaction with the whales evolved against a context of rising activist criticism to their confinement.

During her time at the park, multiple belugas and the park’s single killer whale, Kiska, passed away. In total, nineteen belugas have perished at the park since recent years, a number which the facility attributes to age-related causes, but which campaigners say points to the inadequate care in which they were maintained.

The park did not admit visitors to the guests over the recent season, but the former trainer says she witnessed firsthand results of the closure. “Structural materials is falling apart from the tanks because they’re degrading and not being fixed. The whales are inquisitive and so they grab fragments and navigate with chunks in their mouth. It’s upsetting to see.”

The facility did not reply to a request for comment, but previously stated: “The whales … receive far superior health care and constant supervision than any human in the United Kingdom, or anywhere else.”

Uncertain Future and Potential Resolutions

The former employee was dismissed from the park in early March following the passing of Eos, an unwell beluga the park staff had to humanely kill. She said the park thought information of the death were disclosed to the media and she was let go soon after.

The ambiguity over the whales’ future has left Burgess and other caretakers in despair. She says the facility’s threat to kill its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “logistically impossible” task, adding any attempts to euthanize even a one beluga would require “immense personnel”, vehicles and heavy equipment.

“It cannot happen in hell the caretakers would ever do it,” she said.

Burgess backs demands for the whales to be taken right away from the facility, with its deteriorating pools and shrinking team.

In late September, the nation’s fisheries minister denied a bid to send the whales to an overseas location.

“To approve the request would have meant a perpetual life in captivity and a return to public entertainment,” the official stated. “As Canadians, we know that whales should be in the sea, not in pools for our enjoyment. I could not in clear conscience permit an relocation that would prolong the conditions these belugas have experienced.”

But the former trainer said the official’s comments indicate a broader misunderstanding of the facts of life for belugas born in captivity.

“The public needs to grasp these are whales that have spent their whole lives in enclosed habitats and they will need ongoing assistance for the foreseeable future,” she said. “People just don’t realize that it’s not as easy as saying ‘shut it down’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Ongoing Debate

As authorities attempt to find a solution, ideas have emerged, some of which have little basis in reality. An idea called for the belugas to be let go into the open waters of northern regions – where whales are a important part of sustenance for local populations.

A suggested refuge in the region of Nova Scotia, which now received regulatory clearance, has proven most controversial. The prospective site, which includes 100 acres of enclosed sea water, remains undeveloped. Supporters remain optimistic that it could ultimately represent a long term resolution for a number of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among staff she’s spoken with, there is “doubts there” about what she said is “only an untested concept” in the whales’ future.

Others say the prospect of a protected habitat indicates a broader global shift away from animal displays and could represent a viable approach in the coming months.

Charles Vinick, director of the initiative, said the site will mimic the intellectual stimulation and diet the whales receive from caretakers, albeit in a significantly bigger environment. He said after the well-being of whales is completely examined, which could take months|an extended period|