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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie is an charming little “playful character”. The whale Orion – called “Onion Ring” – is a big but very loyal companion. Zephyr has “ants in his pants” and moves like a wiggly creature. Lillooet is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a heart of gold.

Thirty captive beluga whales in a Canadian amusement park have been caught in a tussle between a defunct facility, government authorities and animal rights activists.

But those working directly with the whales say the heated debate over their destiny often fails to consider the nuances of the whales who, after living their entire lives in confinement, have been thoroughly researched by the people who interact with them daily.

After the national authorities prevented the sale of the belugas to a foreign facility, the struggling attraction near Niagara Falls where they are held stated it would consider to euthanize them unless the government funds the cost of their care. The nation’s fisheries minister has refused that ultimatum, placing the 30 whales in an ever more uncertain position.

Intelligent Marine Mammals

Researchers say that beluga whales’ brain structure, along with their sound replication, problem solving and communal behavior point to they are deeply intelligent animals – something one caretaker observed first-hand.

Burgess spent several years as a marine mammal specialist, a position that required building relationships of the marine predators.

“Developing those relationships over time takes a lot of regularity and a lot of care. At the start, they’re very unsure of you,” she said. “Over time, you gain shared confidence. And they start being more open with you. It’s just so magical and gratifying.”

The trainer knew the whales were exceptionally cognitive, but she says she was nevertheless surprised by the details and quirks in their characters. She cultivated a special affection for two female belugas with different temperaments.

“One whale selected me. The other demanded work,” she said. “They transformed the way I perceive relationships.”

Growing Opposition and Deteriorating Conditions

Her connection with the whales progressed against a backdrop of increasing societal concern to their enclosure.

During her time at the attraction, multiple belugas and the park’s one killer whale, the orca, succumbed. In all, 19 belugas have died at the park since recent years, a toll which the park ascribes to age-related causes, but which activists say reflects the inadequate care in which they were maintained.

The park did not admit visitors to the visitors over the summer, but the former trainer says she witnessed firsthand consequences of the closure. “Structural materials is breaking off from the tanks because they’re degrading and not being fixed. The whales are curious and so they take pieces and swim around with fragments in their jaws. It’s distressing to see.”

The park did not respond to a questionnaire, but in the past stated: “The whales … obtain far better health care and around the clock care than any individual in the UK, or other places.”

Uncertain Future and Proposed Solutions

The former employee was fired from the facility in early March following the passing of a beluga, an unwell beluga the caretakers had to humanely kill. She said the facility thought information of the incident were shared to the media and she was let go not long after.

The lack of clarity over the whales’ fate has left Burgess and other caretakers in despair. She says the facility’s threat to kill its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “extremely difficult” task, adding any attempts to put down even a one beluga would require “considerable manpower”, equipment and machinery.

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

She advocates for calls for the whales to be taken right away from the park, with its deteriorating pools and dwindling staff.

In recent months, Canada’s government official denied a request to send the whales to China.

“Granting the request would have meant a ongoing situation in confinement and a reversion to public entertainment,” the official wrote. “As Canadians, we know that belugas belong in the sea, not in pools for our amusement. I could not in good conscience permit an transfer that would prolong the treatment these belugas have experienced.”

But the former trainer said the minister’s remarks indicate a more general incorrect perception of the facts of living conditions for belugas living their whole lives in enclosures.

“The society needs to grasp these are whales that have existed solely in confinement and they will need human care 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 Ongoing Debate

As officials attempt to find a solution, proposals have surfaced, some of which have little basis in reality. A suggested plan called for the belugas to be released into the open waters of northern regions – where whales are a key source of sustenance for Inuit communities.

A suggested sanctuary in the region of eastern Canada, which recently received official endorsement, has proven most controversial. The prospective site, which includes 100 acres of enclosed sea water, is not yet built. Supporters remain optimistic that it could eventually represent a permanent solution for a number of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among staff she’s discussed with, there is “no trust there” about what she said is “only an untested concept” in the whales’ future.

Some experts say the idea of a protected habitat reflects a broader global shift away from animal displays and could represent a workable approach in the near future.

An official, head of the initiative, said the facility will replicate the intellectual stimulation and diet the whales get from caretakers, albeit in a significantly bigger area. He said after the well-being of whales is completely examined, which could take months|an extended period|