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Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie Botts is an cute little “ham sandwich”. The whale Orion – called “Onion Ring” – is a sizeable but fiercely protective friend. Another whale, Zephyr has “constant motion” and moves 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 struggle between a shuttered park, government authorities and advocacy groups.

But those closest to the whales say the heated discussion over their destiny often ignores the nuances of the whales who, after spending their lives in confinement, have been carefully observed by the humans who interact with them daily.

After the Canadian government disallowed the export of the belugas to a foreign facility, the embattled attraction near Niagara Falls where they are housed threatened to put them down unless the government covers the expense of keeping them alive. Canada’s marine resources official has rejected that demand, placing the 30 whales in an increasingly precarious circumstance.

Highly Cognitive Marine Mammals

Researchers say that beluga whales’ neuroanatomy, along with their sound replication, problem solving and group interactions suggest they are highly cognitive creatures – something one caretaker discovered personally.

She spent several years as a whale caretaker, a role that required gaining confidence of the aquatic animals.

“Developing those relationships over time takes a lot of dedication and a lot of affection. At the beginning, they’re very wary of you,” she said. “In time, you gain shared confidence. And they start being more vulnerable with you. It’s just so wonderful and fulfilling.”

The trainer knew the whales were exceptionally cognitive, but she says she was nevertheless amazed by the nuances and unique traits in their personalities. She cultivated a special affection for Eve and Cleopatra with contrasting temperaments.

“One whale accepted me. The other required effort,” she said. “Each changed the way I understand bonding.”

Growing Opposition and Facility Decline

Burgess’s relationship with the whales developed against a context of increasing societal concern to their enclosure.

During her three years at the park, seven belugas and the park’s single killer whale, the orca, died. In all, nineteen belugas have perished at the park since recent years, a toll which the facility attributes to natural mortality, but which campaigners say reflects the inadequate care in which they were maintained.

The facility did not open to the public over the recent season, but Burgess says she witnessed firsthand effects of the closure. “Structural materials is breaking off from the enclosures because they’re falling apart and not being maintained. The whales are exploratory and so they take pieces and navigate with pieces in their jaws. It’s distressing to see.”

The park did not reply to a questionnaire, but earlier stated: “The whales … receive far better veterinary services and constant attention than any human in the Britain, or anywhere else.”

Uncertain Future and Proposed Solutions

The former employee was fired from the facility in recent months following the demise of Eos, an sick beluga the park staff had to put down. She said the facility suspected information of the incident were shared to the news outlets and she was fired soon after.

The uncertainty over the whales’ outcome has left Burgess and staff members in anguish. She says the facility’s ultimatum to kill its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “logistically impossible” task, adding any plans to euthanize even a single beluga would require “significant personnel”, equipment and heavy equipment.

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

She backs calls for the whales to be transferred right away from the park, with its failing enclosures and reduced personnel.

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

“Allowing the request would have meant a perpetual existence in confinement and a reversion to public entertainment,” the minister commented. “As Canadians, we know that whales are meant for the sea, not in enclosures for our enjoyment. I could not in good conscience permit an transfer that would continue the treatment these belugas have endured.”

But Burgess said the minister’s statements reflect a broader misunderstanding of the circumstances of life for belugas living their whole lives in enclosures.

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

Alternative Habitat and Continuing Discussion

As authorities struggle to find a resolution, proposals have been put forward, some of which have minimal feasibility. An idea called for the belugas to be released into the wilds of northern regions – where whales are a key source of nourishment for Indigenous peoples.

A suggested sanctuary in the province of Nova Scotia, which now received official endorsement, has shown to be most controversial. The prospective facility, which includes 100 acres of enclosed sea water, doesn’t yet exist. Supporters remain positive that it could eventually represent a sustainable solution for a number of the whales.

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

Some experts say the prospect of a refuge reflects a broader global shift away from zoos and aquariums and could represent a viable solution in the near future.

The project lead, head of the sanctuary project, said the location will mimic the mental engagement and diet the whales obtain from specialists, albeit in a more expansive environment. He said after the medical condition of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|