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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie Botts is an cute small “sweetheart”. The whale Orion – nicknamed “Onion” – is a sizeable but guardian-like friend. Another whale, Zephyr has “ants in his pants” and sways like a wiggly creature. Lillooet the beluga is the “most affectionate” with a kind nature.

A group of thirty captive marine mammals in a Canada-based amusement park have been entangled in a disagreement between a closed attraction, government authorities and advocacy groups.

But those working directly with the whales say the intense controversy over their destiny often fails to consider the complexities of the whales who, after growing up in captivity, have been thoroughly researched by the caretakers who work with them regularly.

After the national authorities prevented the transfer of the belugas to a foreign facility, the struggling attraction near Niagara Falls where they are kept warned to put them down unless the government covers the upkeep of keeping them alive. The nation’s fisheries minister has rejected that request, placing the thirty whales in an dangerously unstable situation.

Intelligent Marine Mammals

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

She spent a significant period as a marine mammal specialist, a position that entailed earning the trust of the sea creatures.

“Developing those connections over time takes a lot of consistency and a lot of care. At the beginning, they’re very unsure of you,” she said. “In time, you gain reciprocal understanding. And they start being more open with you. It’s just so extraordinary and rewarding.”

Burgess knew the whales were highly intelligent, but she says she was even so astounded by the subtleties and quirks in their personalities. She formed a deep bond for a pair of whales with different personalities.

“Eve selected me. The other required effort,” she said. “Each changed the way I understand relationships.”

Growing Opposition and Facility Decline

Her relationship with the whales evolved against a background of growing public opposition to their captivity.

During her three years at the attraction, multiple belugas and the park’s one killer whale, the orca, died. In total, nineteen belugas have perished at the park since recent years, a statistic which the park ascribes to expected lifespan, but which advocates say points to the poor conditions in which they were kept.

The park did not admit visitors to the guests over the recent season, but Burgess says she observed directly results of the cessation. “Concrete is falling apart from the tanks because they’re falling apart and not being fixed. The whales are inquisitive and so they grab fragments and swim around with chunks in their mouth. It’s upsetting to see.”

The facility did not respond to a questionnaire, but previously stated: “The whales … get far higher quality medical attention and around the clock supervision than any human in the Britain, or other places.”

Uncertain Future and Proposed Solutions

The former employee was dismissed from the facility in the spring following the demise of a beluga, an ailing beluga the park staff had to put down. She said the facility believed details of the death were shared to the press and she was fired not long after.

The lack of clarity over the whales’ outcome has left her and other caretakers in distress. She says the park’s threat to kill its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “extremely difficult” task, adding any plans to put down even a single beluga would require “immense manpower”, trucks and machinery.

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

She backs calls for the whales to be taken right away from the park, with its deteriorating pools and shrinking team.

In late September, Canada’s government official denied a request to export the whales to China.

“To approve the request would have meant a perpetual existence in confinement and a reversion to performance for audiences,” the minister wrote. “As society, we know that belugas are meant for the ocean, not in tanks for our enjoyment. I could not in good conscience authorize an transfer that would perpetuate the treatment these belugas have experienced.”

But the former trainer said the official’s statements indicate a more general lack of awareness of the facts of living conditions for belugas raised in confinement.

“The society needs to grasp these are whales that have spent their whole lives in enclosed habitats and they will need constant supervision for the rest of their years,” she said. “People just don’t comprehend that it’s not as straightforward as saying ‘shut it down’.”

Alternative Habitat and Continuing Discussion

As authorities work to find a resolution, proposals have emerged, some of which have questionable practicality. A suggested plan called for the belugas to be freed into the wilds of the Arctic – where whales are a key source of nourishment for Indigenous peoples.

A planned protected area in the province of eastern Canada, which has received official endorsement, has shown to be contentious. The future site, which includes extensive space of enclosed sea water, remains undeveloped. Advocates remain positive that it could ultimately represent a permanent answer for some of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among trainers she’s consulted, there is “no trust there” about what she said is “simply an experiment” in the whales’ future.

Others say the idea of a sanctuary represents a broader global shift away from animal displays and could represent a feasible plan in the coming months.

Charles Vinick, director of the plan, said the site will mimic the mental engagement and feeding regimen the whales obtain from specialists, albeit in a more expansive environment. He said after the medical condition of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|