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Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie Botts is an adorable small “sweetheart”. Orion – called “Onion” – 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 heart of gold.

A group of thirty captive marine mammals in a Canada-based amusement park have been caught in a tussle between a defunct facility, government authorities and welfare campaigners.

But those closest to the whales say the impassioned controversy over their destiny often fails to consider the nuances of the whales who, after growing up in enclosed habitats, have been closely studied by the people who interact with them daily.

After the federal government blocked the transfer of the belugas to China, the embattled facility near Niagara Falls where they are housed warned to end their lives unless the government covers the expense of keeping them alive. The nation’s fisheries minister has rejected that ultimatum, placing the 30 whales in an dangerously unstable position.

Intelligent Sea Creatures

Researchers say that belugas’ brain structure, along with their vocal imitation skills, problem solving and social skills point to they are remarkably smart creatures – something one caretaker observed directly.

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

“Establishing those relationships over time takes a lot of dedication and a lot of care. At the outset, they’re very cautious of you,” she said. “Over time, you gain mutual trust. And they start being more vulnerable with you. It’s just so wonderful and rewarding.”

Burgess knew the whales were very smart, but she says she was nevertheless surprised by the nuances and quirks in their personalities. She cultivated a deep bond for a pair of whales with different natures.

“One whale accepted me. Cleo required effort,” she said. “Each altered the way I view connection.”

Public Concerns and Deteriorating Conditions

Burgess’s relationship with the whales progressed against a backdrop of increasing societal concern to their confinement.

During her time at the facility, seven belugas and the park’s single killer whale, the orca, passed away. In total, nineteen belugas have perished at the park since 2019, a number which the park links to age-related causes, but which advocates say reflects the inadequate care in which they were maintained.

The park did not admit visitors to the guests over the recent season, but Burgess says she observed directly results of the closure. “Structural materials is deteriorating from the pools because they’re falling apart and not being fixed. The whales are curious and so they pick it up and swim around with pieces in their jaws. It’s upsetting to see.”

The park did not respond to a inquiry, but earlier asserted: “The whales … get far superior veterinary services and constant attention than any human in the Britain, or anywhere else.”

Fate in Limbo and Proposed Solutions

Burgess was terminated from the park in the spring following the death of Eos, an unwell beluga the caretakers had to humanely kill. She said the facility believed particulars of the incident were shared to the media and she was released soon after.

The uncertainty over the whales’ future has left her and current and former trainers in anguish. She says the park’s ultimatum to euthanize its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “practically unfeasible” endeavor, adding any efforts to euthanize even a single beluga would require “considerable personnel”, trucks and specialized tools.

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

She advocates for requests for the whales to be taken immediately from the park, with its deteriorating pools and reduced personnel.

In the autumn, the nation’s government official rejected a proposal to send the whales to an overseas location.

“Granting the application would have meant a continued situation in confinement and a reversion to public entertainment,” the minister wrote. “As society, we know that marine mammals are meant for the wild, not in pools for our entertainment. I could not in clear conscience permit an export that would perpetuate the situation these belugas have experienced.”

But the former trainer said the official’s comments reflect a wider misunderstanding of the facts of living conditions for belugas raised in confinement.

“The society needs to understand these are whales that have lived entirely in confinement 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 Continuing Discussion

As decision makers struggle to find a solution, suggestions have been put forward, some of which have little basis in reality. One proposal called for the belugas to be freed into the open waters of the Arctic – where whales are a important part of nourishment for local populations.

A suggested protected area in the province of Nova Scotia, which recently received official endorsement, has been contentious. The prospective site, which includes a large area of protected cove, is not yet built. Advocates remain optimistic that it could in time represent a permanent resolution for eight of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among trainers she’s spoken with, there is “skepticism there” about what she said is “merely an trial” in the whales’ future.

Some experts say the idea of a refuge indicates a changing attitudes away from zoos and aquariums and could represent a workable solution in the coming months.

An official, leader of the sanctuary project, said the location will replicate the cognitive activities and diet the whales receive from caretakers, albeit in a more expansive environment. He said after the health of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|