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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie Botts is an cute little “ham sandwich”. Orion – called “Onion” – is a sizeable but very loyal friend. Zephyr has “constant motion” and sways like a worm. Lillooet is the “loving presence” with a kind nature.

Thirty captive marine mammals in a Canadian entertainment facility have become pawns in a tussle between a defunct facility, government authorities and advocacy groups.

But those closest to the whales say the heated controversy over their fate often ignores the nuances 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 export of the belugas to a foreign facility, the embattled attraction near Niagara Falls where they are held warned to end their lives unless the authorities pays for the upkeep of their survival. The nation’s marine resources official has refused that ultimatum, placing the thirty whales in an dangerously unstable position.

Intelligent Marine Mammals

Experts say that beluga whales’ neural makeup, along with their mimicry abilities, cognitive challenges and group interactions suggest they are remarkably smart creatures – something Kristy Burgess discovered personally.

Burgess spent several years as a beluga trainer, a role that required building relationships of the sea creatures.

“Building up those bonds over time takes a lot of dedication and a lot of care. At the start, they’re very cautious of you,” she said. “Over time, you gain reciprocal understanding. And they start being more open with you. It’s just so extraordinary and fulfilling.”

Burgess knew the whales were highly intelligent, but she says she was even so amazed by the subtleties and idiosyncrasies in their personalities. She formed a special affection for a pair of whales with contrasting temperaments.

“One whale accepted me. The other demanded work,” she said. “They altered the way I view relationships.”

Growing Opposition and Facility Decline

Her relationship with the whales evolved against a context of rising activist criticism to their confinement.

During her time at the attraction, multiple belugas and the park’s one killer whale, Kiska, passed away. In total, nineteen belugas have perished at the park since recent years, a statistic which the park ascribes to age-related causes, but which campaigners say reflects the poor conditions in which they were kept.

The park did not operate to the public over the recent season, but Burgess says she witnessed firsthand results of the closure. “Structural materials is breaking off from the pools because they’re falling apart and not being fixed. The whales are inquisitive and so they pick it up and move about with fragments in their mouth. It’s distressing to see.”

The facility did not respond to a questionnaire, but previously asserted: “The whales … get far higher quality health care and around the clock supervision than any human in the Britain, or elsewhere.”

Uncertain Future and Potential Resolutions

The former employee was terminated from the facility in the spring following the passing of Eos, an ailing beluga the caretakers had to euthanize. She said the park suspected particulars of the death were leaked to the news outlets and she was let go not long after.

The uncertainty over the whales’ outcome has left Burgess and other caretakers in despair. She says the park’s warning to end the lives of its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “logistically impossible” task, adding any plans to put down even a one beluga would require “significant personnel”, equipment and specialized tools.

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

Burgess backs requests for the whales to be taken immediately from the facility, with its failing enclosures and shrinking team.

In the autumn, the nation’s government official denied a proposal to export the whales to China.

“Allowing the request would have meant a continued life in captivity and a return to performance for audiences,” the minister stated. “As Canadians, we know that whales belong in the wild, not in enclosures for our entertainment. I could not in clear conscience permit an relocation that would prolong the conditions these belugas have experienced.”

But Burgess said the official’s remarks indicate a more general lack of awareness of the circumstances of living conditions for belugas living their whole lives in enclosures.

“The society needs to understand these are whales that have lived entirely in confinement and they will need human care for the foreseeable future,” she said. “People just don’t comprehend that it’s not as easy as saying ‘end operations’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Ongoing Debate

As decision makers attempt to find a resolution, suggestions have emerged, some of which have minimal feasibility. One proposal called for the belugas to be released into the natural habitat of Canada’s north – where whales are a important part of nourishment for local populations.

A proposed refuge in the region of Nova Scotia, which recently received government approval, has shown to be most controversial. The planned facility, which includes a large area of penned in ocean, is not yet built. Advocates remain hopeful that it could ultimately represent a sustainable resolution for some of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among trainers she’s consulted, there is “skepticism there” about what she said is “simply an untested concept” in the whales’ future.

Different voices say the possibility of a refuge indicates a worldwide trend away from captive facilities and could represent a feasible solution in the short term.

An official, head of the plan, said the location will replicate the mental engagement and diet the whales receive from specialists, albeit in a much larger area. He said after the medical condition of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|