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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie is an charming small “ham sandwich”. The whale Orion – called “Onion” – is a large but guardian-like friend. Another whale, Zephyr has “ants in his pants” and moves like a worm. Lillooet the beluga is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a kind nature.

A group of thirty captive marine mammals in a Canada-based entertainment facility have been entangled in a struggle between a closed attraction, local and national governments and animal rights activists.

But those working directly with the whales say the intense controversy over their future often fails to consider the nuances of the whales who, after growing up in enclosed habitats, have been closely studied by the caretakers who interact with them daily.

After the national authorities disallowed the export of the belugas to China, the embattled amusement park near Niagara Falls where they are held threatened to end their lives unless the government funds the expense of keeping them alive. The nation’s marine resources official has rejected that request, placing the thirty whales in an increasingly precarious situation.

Intelligent Marine Mammals

Scientists say that belugas’ neural makeup, along with their vocal imitation skills, problem solving and social skills suggest they are highly cognitive mammals – something one caretaker observed personally.

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

“Establishing 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. “Eventually, you gain mutual trust. And they start being more open with you. It’s just so magical and fulfilling.”

Burgess knew the whales were exceptionally cognitive, but she says she was nonetheless astounded by the details and quirks in their characters. She formed a deep bond for two female belugas with opposing natures.

“One whale selected me. The other demanded work,” she said. “Each changed the way I view connection.”

Growing Opposition and Facility Decline

Her connection with the whales evolved against a backdrop of rising activist criticism to their enclosure.

During her three years at the attraction, multiple belugas and the park’s one killer whale, the orca, died. In total, 19 belugas have died at the park since recent years, a statistic which the facility attributes to expected lifespan, but which campaigners say reflects the poor conditions in which they were kept.

The park did not operate to the public over the summer, but Burgess says she witnessed firsthand consequences of the closure. “Concrete is deteriorating from the tanks because they’re degrading and not being fixed. The whales are exploratory and so they pick it up and swim around with chunks in their jaws. It’s distressing to see.”

The park did not reply to a request for comment, but earlier claimed: “The whales … obtain far higher quality medical attention and 24/7 attention than any individual in the Britain, or other places.”

Uncertain Future and Proposed Solutions

The former employee was terminated from the park in the spring following the demise of Eos, an unwell beluga the employees had to put down. She said the facility believed details of the incident were leaked to the press and she was released soon after.

The ambiguity over the whales’ future has left her and current and former trainers in despair. She says the park’s threat to end the lives of its whales is a leverage tool and is a “practically unfeasible” endeavor, adding any plans to humanely kill even a individual beluga would require “considerable staff”, equipment and specialized tools.

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

Burgess backs demands for the whales to be taken right away from the facility, with its crumbling tanks and reduced personnel.

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

“Granting the application would have meant a perpetual situation in captivity and a reversion to public entertainment,” the minister commented. “As society, we know that belugas are meant for the ocean, not in enclosures for our enjoyment. I could not in good conscience authorize an transfer that would continue the situation these belugas have experienced.”

But the former trainer said the official’s comments indicate a wider misunderstanding of the circumstances of life for belugas born in captivity.

“The public needs to grasp these are whales that have spent their whole lives in confinement and they will need ongoing assistance for the foreseeable future,” she said. “Many just don’t realize that it’s not as straightforward as saying ‘shut it down’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Ongoing Debate

As officials struggle to find a answer, ideas have emerged, some of which have minimal feasibility. A suggested plan called for the belugas to be freed into the natural habitat of the Arctic – where whales are a primary resource of nourishment for Indigenous peoples.

A planned sanctuary in the province of Nova Scotia, which recently received regulatory clearance, has shown to be contentious. The future facility, which includes a large area of enclosed sea water, doesn’t yet exist. Advocates remain hopeful that it could eventually represent a permanent answer for eight of the whales.

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

Others say the prospect of a refuge indicates a broader global shift away from captive facilities and could represent a feasible approach in the short term.

The project lead, head of the initiative, said the location will replicate the intellectual stimulation and feeding regimen the whales get from specialists, albeit in a much larger area. He said after the medical condition of whales is completely examined, which could take months|an extended period|