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Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie is an cute little “sweetheart”. Orion – nicknamed “Onion Ring” – is a large but fiercely protective companion. Zephyr has “ants in his pants” and moves like a wiggly creature. Lillooet is the “loving presence” with a gentle spirit.

A group of thirty captive marine mammals in a Canadian entertainment facility have been entangled in a tussle between a defunct facility, public officials and advocacy groups.

But those working directly with the whales say the impassioned discussion over their future often fails to consider the individual traits of the whales who, after spending their lives in enclosed habitats, have been closely studied by the caretakers who work with them regularly.

After the federal government disallowed the transfer of the belugas to a foreign facility, the embattled amusement park near Niagara Falls where they are held stated it would consider to put them down unless the government pays for the expense of their survival. Canada’s fisheries minister has refused that ultimatum, placing the 30 whales in an ever more uncertain situation.

Highly Cognitive Marine Mammals

Researchers say that belugas’ neural makeup, along with their sound replication, problem solving and group interactions suggest they are remarkably smart mammals – something one caretaker learned personally.

Burgess spent several years as a beluga trainer, a role that involved earning the trust of the sea creatures.

“Building up those relationships over time takes a lot of dedication and a lot of love. At the beginning, they’re very cautious of you,” she said. “Eventually, you gain mutual trust. And they start being more vulnerable with you. It’s just so wonderful and gratifying.”

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

“Eve accepted me. The other demanded work,” she said. “Each transformed the way I view connection.”

Public Concerns and Deteriorating Conditions

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

During her tenure at the facility, multiple belugas and the park’s one orca, Kiska, succumbed. In all, 19 belugas have perished at the park since recent years, a toll which the park attributes to age-related causes, but which advocates say indicates the poor conditions in which they were kept.

The facility did not open to the visitors over the summer, but Burgess says she saw with her own eyes results of the cessation. “Structural materials is deteriorating from the pools because they’re in disrepair and not being maintained. The whales are curious and so they pick it up and swim around with chunks in their jaws. It’s upsetting to see.”

The facility did not respond to a questionnaire, but in the past stated: “The whales … receive far superior veterinary services and around the clock attention than any human in the United Kingdom, or other places.”

Fate in Limbo and Potential Resolutions

Burgess was dismissed from the facility in the spring following the demise of Eos, an unwell beluga the employees had to put down. She said the facility suspected information of the death were leaked to the media and she was fired shortly thereafter.

The uncertainty over the whales’ future has left her and current and former trainers in anguish. She says the park’s ultimatum to euthanize its whales is a leverage tool and is a “logistically impossible” task, adding any efforts to put down even a single beluga would require “immense staff”, vehicles and machinery.

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

She supports requests for the whales to be taken right away from the facility, with its crumbling tanks and reduced personnel.

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

“Granting the proposal would have meant a continued situation in enclosure and a reversion to public entertainment,” the minister wrote. “As Canadians, we know that belugas should be in the sea, not in pools for our amusement. I could not in clear conscience permit an relocation that would continue the situation these belugas have experienced.”

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

“The people needs to grasp these are whales that have lived entirely in enclosed habitats and they will need constant supervision for the rest of their years,” she said. “Many just don’t realize that it’s not as easy as saying ‘close it down’.”

Alternative Habitat and Ongoing Debate

As decision makers attempt to find a solution, suggestions have been put forward, some of which have questionable practicality. One proposal called for the belugas to be let go into the wilds of the Arctic – where whales are a important part of nourishment for Inuit communities.

A proposed sanctuary in the region of eastern Canada, which now received official endorsement, has been highly debated. The planned site, which includes 100 acres of protected cove, doesn’t yet exist. Advocates remain optimistic that it could ultimately represent a permanent resolution for a number of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among staff she’s discussed with, there is “skepticism there” about what she said is “merely an untested concept” in the whales’ well-being.

Some experts say the prospect of a refuge indicates a broader global shift away from animal displays and could represent a viable plan in the near future.

The project lead, leader of the sanctuary project, said the location will simulate the mental engagement and feeding regimen the whales obtain from specialists, albeit in a more expansive area. He said after the well-being of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|