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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie is an charming little “ham sandwich”. The whale Orion – nicknamed “Onion” – is a large but fiercely protective companion. Another whale, Zephyr has “ants in his pants” and wiggles like a worm. Lillooet is the “most affectionate” with a gentle spirit.

A group of thirty enclosed marine mammals in a Canada-based amusement park have been caught in a disagreement between a closed attraction, local and national governments and welfare campaigners.

But those closest to the whales say the impassioned controversy over their destiny often ignores the individual traits of the whales who, after growing up in enclosed habitats, have been closely studied by the humans who work with them regularly.

After the federal government prevented the sale of the belugas to China, the embattled amusement park near Niagara Falls where they are held stated it would consider to euthanize them unless the authorities funds the cost of their survival. The nation’s fisheries minister has rejected that ultimatum, placing the 30 whales in an increasingly precarious situation.

Highly Cognitive Sea Creatures

Scientists say that belugas’ brain structure, along with their sound replication, cognitive challenges and social skills point to they are deeply intelligent animals – something Kristy Burgess observed personally.

She spent three years as a whale caretaker, a position that required building relationships of the aquatic animals.

“Establishing those connections over time takes a lot of regularity and a lot of love. At the beginning, they’re very cautious of you,” she said. “Over time, you gain shared confidence. And they start being more vulnerable with you. It’s just so extraordinary and gratifying.”

Burgess knew the whales were highly intelligent, but she says she was nevertheless amazed by the nuances and idiosyncrasies in their dispositions. She cultivated a particular love for two female belugas with opposing temperaments.

“Eve accepted me. The other demanded work,” she said. “Each transformed the way I perceive connection.”

Growing Opposition and Facility Decline

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

During her three years at the facility, multiple belugas and the park’s one killer whale, Kiska, passed away. In all, 19 belugas have perished at the park since recent years, a toll which the facility ascribes to natural mortality, but which activists say reflects the substandard environment in which they were housed.

The facility did not admit visitors to the visitors over the recent season, but the former trainer says she witnessed firsthand results of the cessation. “Concrete is falling apart from the enclosures because they’re falling apart and not being fixed. The whales are inquisitive and so they pick it up and swim around with chunks in their mouth. It’s heartbreaking to see.”

The park did not comment to a inquiry, but previously claimed: “The whales … receive far better medical attention and around the clock care than any human in the Britain, or other places.”

Uncertain Future and Proposed Solutions

Burgess was dismissed from the park in recent months following the passing of Eos, an unwell beluga the caretakers had to euthanize. She said the facility thought details of the incident were shared to the press and she was released soon after.

The uncertainty over the whales’ future has left Burgess and other caretakers in distress. She says the park’s ultimatum to kill its whales is a bargaining chip and is a “extremely difficult” endeavor, adding any plans to put down even a one beluga would require “significant personnel”, trucks and heavy equipment.

“It cannot happen in hell the employees would ever do it,” she said.

Burgess supports demands for the whales to be transferred promptly from the park, with its crumbling tanks and shrinking team.

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

“To approve the application would have meant a ongoing situation in captivity and a return to public entertainment,” the official stated. “As society, we know that belugas belong in the ocean, not in pools for our enjoyment. I could not in good conscience permit an export that would prolong the treatment these belugas have experienced.”

But the former trainer said the minister’s comments indicate a more general incorrect perception of the facts of living conditions for belugas born in captivity.

“The people needs to grasp these are whales that have lived entirely in enclosed habitats and they will need human care for the remainder of their lives,” she said. “The public just don’t realize that it’s not as straightforward as saying ‘shut it down’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Continuing Discussion

As authorities attempt to find a resolution, suggestions have surfaced, some of which have minimal feasibility. A suggested plan called for the belugas to be released into the wilds of Canada’s north – where whales are a key source of food for Indigenous peoples.

A suggested protected area in the region of eastern Canada, which recently received government approval, has proven contentious. The planned location, which includes 100 acres of penned in ocean, remains undeveloped. Supporters remain hopeful that it could ultimately represent a long term resolution for a number of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among trainers she’s consulted, there is “doubts there” about what she said is “only an untested concept” in the whales’ future.

Different voices say the idea of a protected habitat reflects a broader global shift away from animal displays and could represent a viable plan in the near future.

An official, head of the initiative, said the site will mimic the mental engagement and diet the whales receive from trainers, albeit in a much larger environment. He said after the well-being of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|