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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie Botts is an adorable small “playful character”. The whale Orion – nicknamed “Onion” – is a big but guardian-like friend. Zephyr has “constant motion” and moves like a wiggly creature. Lillooet is the “loving presence” with a gentle spirit.

Thirty captive marine mammals in a Canadian entertainment facility have been entangled in a struggle between a defunct facility, public officials and advocacy groups.

But those most familiar with the whales say the heated discussion over their future often overlooks the individual traits of the whales who, after spending their lives in enclosed habitats, have been thoroughly researched by the humans who see them each day.

After the Canadian government blocked the sale of the belugas to China, the controversial amusement park near Niagara Falls where they are kept stated it would consider to end their lives unless the government funds the upkeep of their survival. The nation’s fisheries minister has rejected that demand, placing the 30 whales in an dangerously unstable circumstance.

Highly Cognitive Marine Mammals

Experts say that beluga whales’ brain structure, along with their mimicry abilities, problem solving and group interactions point to they are highly cognitive mammals – something one caretaker learned directly.

She spent three years as a beluga trainer, a position that involved building relationships of the aquatic animals.

“Developing those connections over time takes a lot of consistency and a lot of affection. At the start, they’re very unsure 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 exceptionally cognitive, but she says she was even so surprised by the details and quirks in their characters. She cultivated a deep bond for two female belugas with opposing temperaments.

“One whale selected me. The other demanded work,” she said. “Both altered the way I understand relationships.”

Public Concerns and Facility Decline

Burgess’s connection with the whales evolved against a background of growing public opposition to their enclosure.

During her time at the attraction, multiple belugas and the park’s one killer whale, the orca, succumbed. In total, 19 belugas have perished at the park since recent years, a toll which the facility attributes to natural mortality, but which activists say reflects the poor conditions in which they were maintained.

The facility did not open to the guests over the recent season, but the former trainer says she witnessed firsthand consequences of the cessation. “Concrete is deteriorating from the tanks because they’re degrading and not being maintained. The whales are inquisitive and so they grab fragments and swim around with fragments in their jaws. It’s upsetting to see.”

The facility did not respond to a inquiry, but in the past asserted: “The whales … receive far better health care and 24/7 supervision than any individual in the United Kingdom, or anywhere else.”

Uncertain Future and Proposed Solutions

The former employee was terminated from the facility in recent months following the passing of a beluga, an ailing beluga the park staff had to humanely kill. She said the park thought particulars of the death were leaked to the media and she was released not long after.

The lack of clarity over the whales’ outcome has left her and other caretakers in anguish. She says the park’s threat to end the lives of its whales is a bargaining chip and is a “logistically impossible” endeavor, adding any plans to humanely kill even a individual beluga would require “significant personnel”, equipment and specialized tools.

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

She backs calls for the whales to be transferred immediately from the park, with its deteriorating pools and reduced personnel.

In late September, the nation’s fisheries minister turned down a bid to export the whales to an overseas location.

“Allowing the proposal would have meant a continued situation in captivity and a return to display for amusement,” the minister commented. “As Canadians, we know that whales belong in the sea, not in pools for our amusement. I could not in clear conscience approve an relocation that would perpetuate the conditions these belugas have suffered.”

But Burgess said the official’s statements reveal a wider misunderstanding of the realities of life for belugas born in captivity.

“The people needs to understand these are whales that have existed solely in enclosed habitats and they will need ongoing assistance for the foreseeable future,” she said. “People just don’t comprehend that it’s not as simple as saying ‘shut it down’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Ongoing Debate

As authorities attempt to find a answer, ideas have been put forward, some of which have minimal feasibility. One proposal called for the belugas to be freed into the wilds of Canada’s north – where whales are a important part of food for local populations.

A suggested protected area in the province of eastern Canada, which now received government approval, has proven contentious. The future location, which includes a large area of protected cove, is not yet built. Proponents remain positive that it could eventually represent a long term resolution for a number of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among trainers she’s discussed with, there is “no trust there” about what she said is “only an trial” in the whales’ well-being.

Different voices say the possibility of a refuge reflects a changing attitudes away from animal displays and could represent a viable solution in the coming months.

Charles Vinick, head of the initiative, said the location will replicate the intellectual stimulation and nutrition the whales receive from trainers, albeit in a more expansive environment. He said after the well-being of whales is completely examined, which could take months|an extended period|