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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie Botts is an cute small “ham sandwich”. The whale Orion – called “Onion Ring” – is a large but fiercely protective companion. Another whale, Zephyr has “constant motion” and sways like a worm. Lillooet the beluga is the “most affectionate” with a kind nature.

Thirty captive marine mammals in a Canadian amusement park have been caught in a disagreement between a defunct facility, local and national governments and welfare campaigners.

But those working directly with the whales say the heated controversy over their destiny often ignores the individual traits of the whales who, after spending their lives in confinement, have been carefully observed by the people who interact with them daily.

After the federal government blocked the sale of the belugas to China, the embattled attraction near Niagara Falls where they are kept warned to end their lives unless the federal government covers the expense of their survival. Canada’s fisheries minister has refused that request, placing the thirty whales in an ever more uncertain position.

Intelligent Marine Mammals

Scientists say that belugas’ neuroanatomy, along with their mimicry abilities, problem solving and social skills indicate they are deeply intelligent creatures – something a former trainer discovered directly.

She spent three years as a whale caretaker, a position that entailed building relationships of the sea creatures.

“Developing those relationships over time takes a lot of regularity and a lot of love. At the beginning, they’re very wary of you,” she said. “Over time, you gain reciprocal understanding. And they start being more trusting with you. It’s just so magical and rewarding.”

Burgess knew the whales were highly intelligent, but she says she was nevertheless surprised by the details and quirks in their personalities. She developed a particular love for a pair of whales with contrasting temperaments.

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

Public Concerns and Deteriorating Conditions

Her relationship with the whales developed against a backdrop of rising activist criticism to their confinement.

During her three years at the attraction, seven belugas and the park’s one killer whale, the orca, succumbed. In all, nineteen belugas have perished at the park since recent years, a number which the facility ascribes to age-related causes, but which activists say points to the substandard environment in which they were housed.

The park did not operate to the guests over the summer, but Burgess says she witnessed firsthand consequences of the cessation. “Concrete is breaking off from the pools because they’re in disrepair and not being fixed. The whales are exploratory and so they grab fragments and move about with fragments in their jaws. It’s distressing to see.”

The facility did not comment to a questionnaire, but previously asserted: “The whales … receive far better medical attention and around the clock care than any person in the United Kingdom, or anywhere else.”

Fate in Limbo and Proposed Solutions

Burgess was terminated from the facility in recent months following the demise of Eos, an unwell beluga the park staff had to euthanize. She said the park thought particulars of the death were disclosed to the news outlets and she was fired shortly thereafter.

The lack of clarity over the whales’ future has left her and other caretakers in anguish. She says the facility’s threat to kill its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “practically unfeasible” undertaking, adding any plans to put down even a single beluga would require “significant manpower”, vehicles and specialized tools.

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

Burgess supports requests for the whales to be removed immediately from the park, with its failing enclosures and shrinking team.

In late September, the nation’s government official turned down a proposal to export the whales to China.

“Allowing the application would have meant a perpetual life in captivity and a return to public entertainment,” the minister wrote. “As Canadians, we know that belugas should be in the sea, not in tanks for our entertainment. I could not in ethical standing authorize an transfer that would continue the treatment these belugas have experienced.”

But the former trainer said the minister’s statements reflect a more general misunderstanding of the circumstances of living conditions for belugas living their whole lives in enclosures.

“The society needs to realize these are whales that have existed solely in captivity and they will need ongoing assistance for the remainder of their lives,” she said. “Many just don’t understand that it’s not as easy as saying ‘shut it down’.”

Alternative Habitat and Ongoing Debate

As officials work to find a solution, suggestions have been put forward, some of which have minimal feasibility. One proposal called for the belugas to be freed into the open waters of northern regions – where whales are a important part of sustenance for local populations.

A planned protected area in the province of Nova Scotia, which now received regulatory clearance, has been highly debated. The future site, which includes extensive space of penned in ocean, doesn’t yet exist. Supporters remain optimistic that it could eventually represent a long term solution for a number of the whales.

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

Some experts say the idea of a refuge indicates a broader global shift away from zoos and aquariums and could represent a viable approach in the short term.

The project lead, head of the initiative, said the facility will replicate the cognitive activities and nutrition the whales receive from trainers, albeit in a much larger space. He said after the well-being of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|