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Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie Botts is an adorable small “ham sandwich”. The whale Orion – called “Onion” – is a big but guardian-like friend. Another whale, Zephyr has “endless energy” and wiggles like a worm. Lillooet the beluga is the “most affectionate” with a heart of gold.

A group of thirty captive marine mammals in a Canadian amusement park have been entangled in a struggle between a closed attraction, public officials and animal rights activists.

But those working directly with the whales say the heated discussion over their destiny often ignores the nuances of the whales who, after spending their lives in enclosed habitats, have been carefully observed by the caretakers who interact with them daily.

After the federal government blocked the transfer of the belugas to a foreign facility, the embattled facility near Niagara Falls where they are kept warned to put them down unless the federal government funds the expense of their care. Canada’s fisheries minister has refused that ultimatum, placing the 30 whales in an ever more uncertain position.

Highly Cognitive Sea Creatures

Scientists say that belugas’ brain structure, along with their vocal imitation skills, problem solving and communal behavior suggest they are remarkably smart animals – something Kristy Burgess learned directly.

She spent several years as a marine mammal specialist, a job that involved earning the trust of the aquatic animals.

“Establishing those bonds over time takes a lot of dedication and a lot of love. At the start, they’re very wary 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 highly intelligent, but she says she was nonetheless surprised by the nuances and quirks in their characters. She cultivated a deep bond for a pair of whales with different temperaments.

“One whale selected me. The other demanded work,” she said. “Both changed the way I perceive bonding.”

Growing Opposition and Deteriorating Conditions

Burgess’s relationship with the whales progressed against a backdrop of growing public opposition to their confinement.

During her tenure at the attraction, seven belugas and the park’s one orca, the orca, passed away. In all, 19 belugas have perished at the park since recent years, a toll which the park ascribes to expected lifespan, but which activists say points to the substandard environment in which they were housed.

The facility did not open to the guests over the summer, but Burgess says she observed directly effects of the shutdown. “Structural materials is breaking off from the pools because they’re falling apart and not being repaired. The whales are curious and so they take pieces and swim around with chunks in their jaws. It’s distressing to see.”

The facility did not respond to a inquiry, but previously asserted: “The whales … receive far superior veterinary services and constant care than any person in the UK, or elsewhere.”

Fate in Limbo and Potential Resolutions

Burgess was terminated from the facility in the spring following the passing of a beluga, an sick beluga the caretakers had to put down. She said the park suspected details of the incident were shared to the news outlets and she was fired shortly thereafter.

The uncertainty over the whales’ outcome has left Burgess and current and former trainers in distress. She says the facility’s ultimatum to kill its whales is a bargaining chip and is a “logistically impossible” undertaking, adding any efforts to euthanize even a individual beluga would require “considerable manpower”, equipment and heavy equipment.

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

Burgess backs requests for the whales to be taken right away from the facility, with its crumbling tanks and shrinking team.

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

“Allowing the request would have meant a ongoing existence in enclosure and a return to performance for audiences,” the minister stated. “As Canadians, we know that marine mammals are meant for the sea, not in tanks for our entertainment. I could not in ethical standing authorize an relocation that would perpetuate the treatment these belugas have endured.”

But the former trainer said the official’s comments indicate a broader incorrect perception of the circumstances of life for belugas raised in confinement.

“The society needs to grasp these are whales that have lived entirely in confinement and they will need ongoing assistance for the remainder of their lives,” she said. “The public just don’t realize that it’s not as straightforward as saying ‘end operations’.”

Alternative Habitat and Continuing Discussion

As decision makers attempt to find a answer, proposals have emerged, some of which have questionable practicality. A suggested plan called for the belugas to be released into the wilds of Canada’s north – where whales are a primary resource of sustenance for Indigenous peoples.

A planned protected area in the region of Nova Scotia, which now received government approval, has proven highly debated. The planned location, which includes a large area of protected cove, is not yet built. Proponents remain optimistic that it could eventually represent a permanent answer for eight of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among staff she’s consulted, there is “skepticism there” about what she said is “simply an experiment” in the whales’ fate.

Different voices say the possibility of a refuge indicates a broader global shift away from captive facilities and could represent a workable solution in the coming months.

An official, leader of the plan, said the site will replicate the intellectual stimulation and feeding regimen the whales get from caretakers, albeit in a significantly bigger area. He said after the health of whales is fully assessed, which could take months|an extended period|