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Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie is an cute little “playful character”. The whale Orion – called “Onion” – is a large but fiercely protective companion. Zephyr has “endless energy” and moves like a wiggly creature. Lillooet is the “most affectionate” with a kind nature.

Thirty captive beluga whales in a Canada-based amusement park have been caught in a tussle between a shuttered park, government authorities and welfare campaigners.

But those most familiar with the whales say the intense debate over their future often fails to consider the complexities of the whales who, after living their entire lives in captivity, have been closely studied by the people who interact with them daily.

After the federal government blocked the export of the belugas to China, the controversial facility near Niagara Falls where they are held stated it would consider to put them down unless the government covers the cost of keeping them alive. The nation’s fisheries minister has denied that demand, placing the 30 whales in an ever more uncertain circumstance.

Highly Cognitive Sea Creatures

Researchers say that beluga whales’ neural makeup, along with their mimicry abilities, cognitive challenges and communal behavior point to they are deeply intelligent mammals – something a former trainer observed directly.

She spent a significant period as a whale caretaker, a job that involved gaining confidence of the aquatic animals.

“Building up those relationships over time takes a lot of consistency and a lot of love. At the outset, they’re very wary of you,” she said. “Eventually, you gain reciprocal understanding. And they start being more open with you. It’s just so magical and rewarding.”

Burgess knew the whales were very smart, but she says she was even so amazed by the subtleties and quirks in their dispositions. She cultivated a deep bond for Eve and Cleopatra with different personalities.

“One whale selected me. Cleo required effort,” she said. “Both altered the way I perceive connection.”

Growing Opposition and Facility Decline

Her relationship with the whales evolved against a background of rising activist criticism to their enclosure.

During her three years at the facility, multiple belugas and the park’s single orca, the orca, died. In total, 19 belugas have perished at the park since recent years, a number which the park ascribes to expected lifespan, but which activists say points to the poor conditions in which they were maintained.

The park did not operate to the public over the recent season, but Burgess says she observed directly consequences of the closure. “Concrete is deteriorating from the pools because they’re in disrepair and not being maintained. The whales are exploratory and so they grab fragments and move about with fragments in their mouth. It’s distressing to see.”

The park did not reply to a request for comment, but in the past asserted: “The whales … get far better health care and around the clock care than any individual in the United Kingdom, or anywhere else.”

Fate in Limbo and Potential Resolutions

Burgess was terminated from the facility in recent months following the demise of a beluga, an unwell beluga the employees had to put down. She said the park thought particulars of the death were shared to the media and she was let go shortly thereafter.

The uncertainty over the whales’ outcome has left her and staff members in distress. She says the park’s ultimatum to euthanize its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “extremely difficult” task, adding any efforts to euthanize even a single beluga would require “significant staff”, equipment and specialized tools.

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

She supports demands for the whales to be removed immediately from the facility, with its deteriorating pools and dwindling staff.

In late September, Canada’s government official denied a request to transfer the whales to an overseas location.

“To approve the request would have meant a continued existence in enclosure and a return to performance for audiences,” the minister commented. “As Canadians, we know that marine mammals belong in the ocean, not in pools for our entertainment. I could not in clear conscience approve an relocation that would perpetuate the treatment these belugas have experienced.”

But Burgess said the minister’s statements reflect a more general misunderstanding of the facts of life for belugas raised in confinement.

“The society needs to grasp these are whales that have lived entirely in enclosed habitats and they will need constant supervision for the remainder of their lives,” she said. “Many just don’t understand that it’s not as simple as saying ‘close it down’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Continuing Discussion

As authorities struggle to find a answer, suggestions have surfaced, some of which have questionable practicality. One proposal called for the belugas to be released into the natural habitat of Canada’s north – where whales are a important part of nourishment for Inuit communities.

A planned sanctuary in the province of Nova Scotia, which recently received official endorsement, has shown to be contentious. The planned site, which includes a large area of penned in ocean, is not yet built. Proponents remain optimistic that it could ultimately represent a permanent solution for eight of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among caretakers she’s consulted, there is “no trust there” about what she said is “simply an trial” in the whales’ well-being.

Different voices say the possibility of a sanctuary indicates a changing attitudes away from captive facilities and could represent a workable solution in the near future.

An official, head of the plan, said the site will replicate the mental engagement and diet the whales obtain from trainers, albeit in a much larger environment. He said after the health of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|