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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie Botts is an charming small “playful character”. The whale Orion – called “Onion” – is a large but guardian-like companion. Zephyr has “ants in his pants” and sways like a wiggly creature. Lillooet the beluga is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a kind nature.

Thirty captive beluga whales in a Canadian amusement park have become pawns in a struggle between a defunct facility, public officials and welfare campaigners.

But those working directly with the whales say the intense debate over their destiny often fails to consider the complexities of the whales who, after spending their lives in captivity, have been closely studied by the caretakers who see them each day.

After the Canadian government blocked the transfer of the belugas to China, the controversial attraction near Niagara Falls where they are held threatened to euthanize them unless the federal government funds the cost of their survival. Canada’s fisheries minister has refused that demand, placing the thirty whales in an increasingly precarious position.

Highly Cognitive Marine Mammals

Experts say that belugas’ brain structure, along with their mimicry abilities, problem solving and group interactions indicate they are remarkably smart mammals – something a former trainer observed first-hand.

Burgess spent several years as a marine mammal specialist, a role that required gaining confidence of the sea creatures.

“Establishing those bonds over time takes a lot of consistency and a lot of care. At the outset, they’re very cautious of you,” she said. “In time, you gain mutual trust. And they start being more trusting with you. It’s just so wonderful and gratifying.”

The trainer knew the whales were exceptionally cognitive, but she says she was nevertheless surprised by the nuances and idiosyncrasies in their personalities. She formed a deep bond for a pair of whales with different temperaments.

“One whale selected me. The other required effort,” she said. “Each altered the way I understand relationships.”

Public Concerns and Deteriorating Conditions

Her interaction with the whales developed against a backdrop of increasing societal concern to their captivity.

During her tenure at the park, seven belugas and the park’s single orca, the orca, died. In all, 19 belugas have perished at the park since recent years, a toll which the facility ascribes to expected lifespan, but which campaigners say indicates the substandard environment in which they were maintained.

The facility did not open to the guests over the recent season, but the former trainer says she observed directly effects of the closure. “Concrete is falling apart from the tanks because they’re degrading and not being repaired. The whales are curious and so they take pieces and swim around with fragments in their mouth. It’s distressing to see.”

The facility did not reply to a questionnaire, but previously asserted: “The whales … obtain far superior veterinary services and around the clock attention than any individual in the United Kingdom, or elsewhere.”

Uncertain Future and Potential Resolutions

The former employee was fired from the facility in early March following the death of a beluga, an unwell beluga the caretakers had to put down. She said the facility thought details of the incident were disclosed to the news outlets and she was released soon after.

The ambiguity over the whales’ future has left Burgess and other caretakers in despair. She says the park’s threat to kill its whales is a bargaining chip and is a “practically unfeasible” task, adding any plans to humanely kill even a one beluga would require “considerable personnel”, equipment and specialized tools.

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

Burgess supports demands for the whales to be taken promptly from the facility, with its deteriorating pools and shrinking team.

In late September, the nation’s government official denied a proposal to send the whales to China.

“Allowing the request would have meant a continued situation in confinement and a reversion to display for amusement,” the official commented. “As the public, we know that marine mammals should be in the wild, not in enclosures for our entertainment. I could not in clear conscience permit an transfer that would continue the situation these belugas have suffered.”

But the former trainer said the minister’s statements indicate a broader incorrect perception of the realities of existence for belugas born in captivity.

“The public needs to understand 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 understand that it’s not as easy as saying ‘end operations’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Continuing Discussion

As authorities attempt to find a resolution, suggestions have been put forward, some of which have minimal feasibility. An idea called for the belugas to be let go into the natural habitat of northern regions – where whales are a primary resource of sustenance for local populations.

A proposed protected area in the region of Nova Scotia, which has received regulatory clearance, has shown to be highly debated. The future facility, which includes 100 acres of penned in ocean, doesn’t yet exist. Proponents remain optimistic that it could ultimately represent a permanent answer for some of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among caretakers she’s discussed with, there is “no trust there” about what she said is “merely an experiment” in the whales’ future.

Different voices say the idea of a protected habitat represents a broader global shift away from animal displays and could represent a viable plan in the near future.

An official, head of the sanctuary project, said the location will simulate the cognitive activities and feeding regimen the whales receive from caretakers, albeit in a more expansive area. He said after the medical condition of whales is fully assessed, which could take months|an extended period|