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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie Botts is an adorable small “ham sandwich”. Orion – nicknamed “Onion” – is a large but very loyal companion. Zephyr has “endless energy” and moves like a wiggly creature. Lillooet is the “loving presence” with a kind nature.

Thirty enclosed marine mammals in a Canadian amusement park have been entangled in a tussle between a shuttered park, government authorities and welfare campaigners.

But those closest to the whales say the heated debate over their destiny often fails to consider the complexities of the whales who, after living their entire lives in captivity, have been carefully observed by the caretakers who interact with them daily.

After the national authorities prevented the export of the belugas to China, the embattled amusement park near Niagara Falls where they are housed warned to put them down unless the government funds the upkeep of their survival. Canada’s marine resources official has denied that request, placing the thirty whales in an ever more uncertain situation.

Highly Cognitive Marine Mammals

Scientists say that beluga whales’ neural makeup, along with their vocal imitation skills, problem solving and social skills indicate they are highly cognitive animals – something a former trainer learned first-hand.

Burgess spent several years as a beluga trainer, a position that entailed 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. “In time, you gain reciprocal understanding. And they start being more trusting with you. It’s just so magical and rewarding.”

The trainer knew the whales were very smart, but she says she was even so surprised by the subtleties and unique traits in their personalities. She formed a special affection for a pair of whales with contrasting personalities.

“One whale accepted me. The other made me earn it,” she said. “They changed the way I view bonding.”

Growing Opposition and Deteriorating Conditions

Burgess’s connection with the whales developed against a context of growing public opposition to their captivity.

During her time at the facility, multiple belugas and the park’s one killer whale, Kiska, succumbed. In total, nineteen belugas have perished at the park since recent years, a number which the park attributes to age-related causes, but which activists say reflects the poor conditions in which they were maintained.

The facility did not operate to the guests over the recent season, but Burgess says she witnessed firsthand effects of the shutdown. “Concrete is breaking off from the tanks because they’re degrading and not being fixed. The whales are exploratory and so they take pieces and navigate with pieces in their mouth. It’s distressing to see.”

The facility did not reply to a inquiry, but in the past claimed: “The whales … receive far higher quality medical attention and around the clock supervision than any person in the United Kingdom, or anywhere else.”

Fate in Limbo and Proposed Solutions

The former employee was dismissed from the park in the spring following the death of Eos, an sick beluga the park staff had to put down. She said the facility thought information of the incident were disclosed to the press and she was released shortly thereafter.

The ambiguity over the whales’ fate has left Burgess and staff members in despair. She says the park’s warning to end the lives of its whales is a leverage tool and is a “practically unfeasible” task, adding any attempts to humanely kill even a single beluga would require “significant manpower”, vehicles and machinery.

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

Burgess advocates for requests for the whales to be removed promptly from the park, with its crumbling tanks and reduced personnel.

In recent months, Canada’s fisheries minister turned down a request to transfer the whales to an overseas location.

“Allowing the proposal would have meant a perpetual situation in captivity and a reversion to performance for audiences,” the minister stated. “As society, we know that whales should be in the wild, not in enclosures for our amusement. I could not in good conscience permit an transfer that would perpetuate the situation these belugas have suffered.”

But the former trainer said the minister’s comments indicate a broader lack of awareness of the circumstances of living conditions for belugas born in captivity.

“The public needs to understand these are whales that have existed solely in captivity and they will need human care for the rest of their years,” she said. “The public just don’t comprehend that it’s not as easy as saying ‘end operations’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Ongoing Debate

As decision makers attempt to find a solution, proposals have surfaced, some of which have minimal feasibility. An idea called for the belugas to be let go into the natural habitat of Canada’s north – where whales are a important part of nourishment for Inuit communities.

A proposed refuge in the region of eastern Canada, which now received official endorsement, has proven most controversial. The future location, which includes 100 acres of penned in ocean, doesn’t yet exist. Advocates remain hopeful that it could ultimately represent a sustainable solution for a number of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among trainers she’s consulted, there is “skepticism there” about what she said is “simply an trial” in the whales’ fate.

Different voices say the possibility of a sanctuary indicates a broader global shift away from zoos and aquariums and could represent a feasible plan in the coming months.

The project lead, head of the plan, said the location will simulate the mental engagement and feeding regimen the whales receive from caretakers, albeit in a much larger area. He said after the well-being of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|