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Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie is an cute small “ham sandwich”. Orion – nicknamed “Onion” – is a large but very loyal friend. Another whale, Zephyr has “constant motion” and wiggles like a wiggly creature. Lillooet is the “most affectionate” with a kind nature.

Thirty enclosed marine mammals in a Canadian amusement park have been caught in a disagreement between a shuttered park, local and national governments and welfare campaigners.

But those most familiar with the whales say the heated debate over their destiny often fails to consider the individual traits of the whales who, after spending their lives in captivity, have been closely studied by the humans who interact with them daily.

After the federal government blocked the transfer of the belugas to China, the struggling attraction near Niagara Falls where they are housed stated it would consider to put them down unless the federal government covers the upkeep of keeping them alive. The nation’s marine resources official has refused that ultimatum, placing the 30 whales in an ever more uncertain situation.

Highly Cognitive Marine Mammals

Experts say that belugas’ brain structure, along with their mimicry abilities, intellectual tasks and group interactions suggest they are remarkably smart creatures – something a former trainer learned first-hand.

Burgess spent several years as a beluga trainer, a position that required earning the trust of the marine predators.

“Developing those connections over time takes a lot of dedication and a lot of affection. At the outset, they’re very unsure of you,” she said. “Eventually, you gain reciprocal understanding. And they start being more open with you. It’s just so extraordinary and fulfilling.”

The trainer knew the whales were very smart, but she says she was nevertheless surprised by the nuances and quirks in their personalities. She cultivated a particular love for a pair of whales with contrasting temperaments.

“Eve selected me. The other made me earn it,” she said. “Each altered the way I understand bonding.”

Public Concerns and Deteriorating Conditions

Her relationship with the whales developed against a background of increasing societal concern to their enclosure.

During her three years at the attraction, seven belugas and the park’s single orca, Kiska, died. In total, 19 belugas have died at the park since recent years, a number which the facility links to natural mortality, but which campaigners say indicates the poor conditions in which they were maintained.

The facility did not operate to the public over the recent season, but Burgess says she saw with her own eyes results of the closure. “Structural materials is falling apart from the enclosures because they’re falling apart and not being maintained. The whales are inquisitive and so they grab fragments and navigate with chunks in their mouth. It’s upsetting to see.”

The park did not reply to a questionnaire, but previously stated: “The whales … get far better medical attention and constant care than any individual in the Britain, or anywhere else.”

Fate in Limbo and Proposed Solutions

The former employee was fired from the park in the spring following the death of a beluga, an sick beluga the caretakers had to euthanize. She said the facility thought particulars of the incident were shared to the media and she was released soon after.

The ambiguity over the whales’ outcome has left her and current and former trainers in anguish. She says the park’s threat to euthanize its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “logistically impossible” endeavor, adding any attempts to euthanize even a one beluga would require “immense manpower”, vehicles and specialized tools.

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

Burgess supports demands for the whales to be taken right away from the park, with its crumbling tanks and shrinking team.

In recent months, the nation’s fisheries minister denied a request to export the whales to an overseas location.

“To approve the request would have meant a continued life in confinement and a reversion to display for amusement,” the minister stated. “As Canadians, we know that marine mammals should be in the sea, not in tanks for our entertainment. I could not in good conscience approve an transfer that would perpetuate the conditions these belugas have suffered.”

But Burgess said the minister’s comments indicate a wider misunderstanding of the circumstances of living conditions for belugas born in captivity.

“The public needs to realize these are whales that have existed solely in enclosed habitats and they will need ongoing assistance for the rest of their years,” she said. “The public just don’t understand that it’s not as straightforward as saying ‘shut it down’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Ongoing Debate

As decision makers work to find a resolution, proposals have surfaced, some of which have minimal feasibility. One proposal called for the belugas to be released into the natural habitat of northern regions – where whales are a key source of sustenance for local populations.

A planned protected area in the region of Nova Scotia, which has received government approval, has been contentious. The prospective facility, which includes extensive space of penned in ocean, remains undeveloped. Supporters remain positive that it could eventually represent a permanent resolution for a number of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among caretakers she’s spoken with, there is “no trust there” about what she said is “merely an experiment” in the whales’ future.

Different voices say the idea of a refuge indicates a broader global shift away from animal displays and could represent a viable plan in the near future.

Charles Vinick, director of the plan, said the location will simulate the mental engagement and nutrition the whales receive from caretakers, albeit in a more expansive environment. He said after the medical condition of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|