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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie is an charming little “playful character”. The whale Orion – nicknamed “Onion” – is a big but guardian-like friend. Another whale, Zephyr has “constant motion” and wiggles like a worm. Lillooet the beluga is the “most affectionate” with a heart of gold.

A group of thirty enclosed marine mammals in a Canadian amusement park have become pawns in a disagreement between a defunct facility, government authorities and animal rights activists.

But those closest to the whales say the heated discussion over their future often overlooks the complexities of the whales who, after living their entire lives in captivity, have been closely studied by the people who interact with them daily.

After the national authorities blocked the transfer of the belugas to China, the embattled attraction near Niagara Falls where they are held stated it would consider to euthanize them unless the federal government funds the upkeep of their care. The nation’s marine resources official has denied that demand, placing the thirty whales in an ever more uncertain position.

Intelligent Sea Creatures

Researchers say that belugas’ brain structure, along with their mimicry abilities, problem solving and communal behavior indicate they are remarkably smart mammals – something one caretaker observed directly.

She spent three years as a whale caretaker, a job that involved building relationships of the marine predators.

“Building up those connections over time takes a lot of consistency and a lot of affection. At the outset, they’re very unsure of you,” she said. “Eventually, you gain mutual trust. And they start being more open with you. It’s just so wonderful and fulfilling.”

Burgess knew the whales were very smart, but she says she was nevertheless surprised by the nuances and idiosyncrasies in their personalities. She formed a special affection for a pair of whales with different personalities.

“One whale selected me. Cleo made me earn it,” she said. “Both transformed the way I perceive relationships.”

Public Concerns and Deteriorating Conditions

Burgess’s relationship with the whales evolved against a backdrop of rising activist criticism to their captivity.

During her tenure at the attraction, multiple belugas and the park’s one orca, the orca, succumbed. In total, nineteen belugas have died at the park since recent years, a number which the facility ascribes to natural mortality, but which campaigners say indicates the substandard environment in which they were maintained.

The park did not admit visitors to the public over the recent season, but Burgess says she saw with her own eyes consequences of the cessation. “Concrete is falling apart from the pools because they’re falling apart and not being fixed. The whales are curious and so they grab fragments and swim around with fragments in their mouth. It’s heartbreaking to see.”

The park did not reply to a inquiry, but earlier claimed: “The whales … obtain far superior veterinary services and around the clock supervision than any person in the Britain, or anywhere else.”

Fate in Limbo and Proposed Solutions

The former employee was fired from the facility in the spring following the passing of a beluga, an ailing beluga the caretakers had to put down. She said the facility believed information of the incident were leaked to the press and she was let go soon after.

The ambiguity over the whales’ outcome has left Burgess and current and former trainers in distress. She says the facility’s warning to kill its whales is a bargaining chip and is a “practically unfeasible” endeavor, adding any attempts to humanely kill even a one beluga would require “immense manpower”, trucks and specialized tools.

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

Burgess advocates for calls for the whales to be removed immediately from the facility, with its failing enclosures and shrinking team.

In the autumn, Canada’s fisheries minister rejected a request to send the whales to China.

“Granting the application would have meant a ongoing life in confinement and a reversion to display for amusement,” the official wrote. “As society, we know that marine mammals should be in the sea, not in tanks for our enjoyment. I could not in clear conscience permit an export that would prolong the conditions these belugas have experienced.”

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

“The people needs to grasp these are whales that have lived entirely in captivity and they will need human care for the remainder of their lives,” she said. “The public just don’t understand that it’s not as simple as saying ‘end operations’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Ongoing Debate

As officials work to find a solution, ideas have emerged, some of which have little basis in reality. An idea called for the belugas to be released into the wilds of northern regions – where whales are a key source of nourishment for Indigenous peoples.

A suggested refuge in the province of eastern Canada, which recently received official endorsement, has proven contentious. The future location, which includes 100 acres of protected cove, remains undeveloped. Proponents remain hopeful that it could eventually represent a sustainable solution for some of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among staff she’s discussed with, there is “skepticism there” about what she said is “simply an experiment” in the whales’ well-being.

Some experts say the prospect of a refuge represents a worldwide trend away from zoos and aquariums and could represent a viable solution in the short term.

The project lead, head of the initiative, said the location will replicate the mental engagement and nutrition the whales receive from specialists, albeit in a significantly bigger space. He said after the well-being of whales is completely examined, which could take months|an extended period|