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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie Botts is an adorable little “ham sandwich”. Orion – called “Onion Ring” – is a large but very loyal friend. Another whale, Zephyr has “constant motion” and wiggles like a worm. Lillooet is the “most affectionate” with a gentle spirit.

Thirty captive beluga whales in a Canadian amusement park have been entangled in a struggle between a defunct facility, public officials and animal rights activists.

But those working directly with the whales say the impassioned debate over their destiny often overlooks the complexities of the whales who, after growing up in captivity, have been closely studied by the humans who interact with them daily.

After the Canadian government prevented the export of the belugas to China, the embattled facility near Niagara Falls where they are held threatened to put them down unless the authorities funds the upkeep of their survival. The nation’s marine resources official has rejected that request, placing the 30 whales in an increasingly precarious situation.

Highly Cognitive Sea Creatures

Scientists say that beluga whales’ neuroanatomy, along with their vocal imitation skills, cognitive challenges and social skills indicate they are highly cognitive animals – something one caretaker learned directly.

She spent several years as a marine mammal specialist, a position that involved gaining confidence of the sea creatures.

“Building up those bonds over time takes a lot of regularity and a lot of care. At the start, they’re very cautious of you,” she said. “In time, you gain reciprocal understanding. And they start being more trusting with you. It’s just so magical and rewarding.”

Burgess knew the whales were very smart, but she says she was nevertheless astounded by the details and idiosyncrasies in their characters. She developed a particular love for two female belugas with opposing temperaments.

“One whale accepted me. Cleo made me earn it,” she said. “They changed the way I perceive bonding.”

Public Concerns and Facility Decline

Her connection with the whales evolved against a backdrop of growing public opposition to their captivity.

During her three years at the attraction, seven belugas and the park’s single killer whale, the orca, succumbed. In total, 19 belugas have perished at the park since recent years, a number which the park attributes to natural mortality, but which campaigners say points to the substandard environment in which they were maintained.

The facility did not open to the public over the summer, but the former trainer says she saw with her own eyes results of the shutdown. “Structural materials is falling apart from the enclosures because they’re degrading and not being maintained. The whales are curious and so they pick it up and navigate with chunks in their mouth. It’s distressing to see.”

The park did not reply to a questionnaire, but in the past asserted: “The whales … get far superior medical attention and constant supervision than any person in the Britain, or anywhere else.”

Fate in Limbo and Proposed Solutions

The former employee was fired from the facility in the spring following the passing of a beluga, an ailing beluga the caretakers had to euthanize. She said the facility thought particulars of the death were shared to the media and she was released shortly thereafter.

The uncertainty over the whales’ future has left Burgess and other caretakers in anguish. She says the facility’s ultimatum to euthanize its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “extremely difficult” undertaking, adding any plans to put down even a one beluga would require “significant staff”, trucks and specialized tools.

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

Burgess supports calls for the whales to be transferred immediately from the facility, with its failing enclosures and dwindling staff.

In late September, the nation’s government official rejected a proposal to export the whales to an overseas location.

“Granting the request would have meant a continued situation in captivity and a return to performance for audiences,” the official wrote. “As the public, we know that marine mammals belong in the sea, not in tanks for our entertainment. I could not in clear conscience approve an transfer that would perpetuate the situation these belugas have experienced.”

But Burgess said the minister’s remarks indicate a more general misunderstanding of the circumstances of life for belugas living their whole lives in enclosures.

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

Sanctuary Proposal and Ongoing Debate

As authorities work to find a resolution, ideas have surfaced, some of which have minimal feasibility. A suggested plan called for the belugas to be released into the wilds of northern regions – where whales are a key source of nourishment for local populations.

A suggested protected area in the province of Nova Scotia, which now received official endorsement, has been contentious. The planned location, which includes a large area of protected cove, is not yet built. Proponents remain hopeful that it could in time represent a long term answer for a number of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among trainers she’s consulted, there is “skepticism there” about what she said is “only an untested concept” in the whales’ well-being.

Others say the possibility of a refuge represents a broader global shift away from zoos and aquariums and could represent a workable plan in the coming months.

The project lead, director of the initiative, said the location will simulate the mental engagement and diet the whales obtain from specialists, albeit in a significantly bigger space. He said after the well-being of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|