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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie is an charming small “sweetheart”. The whale Orion – called “Onion Ring” – is a large but guardian-like friend. Zephyr has “ants in his pants” and sways like a wiggly creature. Lillooet is the “loving presence” with a gentle spirit.

A group of thirty enclosed beluga whales in a Canada-based amusement park have been entangled in a struggle between a shuttered park, public officials and animal rights activists.

But those working directly with the whales say the heated controversy over their destiny often overlooks the complexities of the whales who, after spending their lives in captivity, have been closely studied by the caretakers who work with them regularly.

After the Canadian government blocked the transfer of the belugas to China, the controversial facility near Niagara Falls where they are held stated it would consider to end their lives unless the government pays for the expense of keeping them alive. 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’ neuroanatomy, along with their vocal imitation skills, cognitive challenges and group interactions point to they are remarkably smart mammals – something Kristy Burgess observed directly.

Burgess spent several years as a beluga trainer, a job that entailed gaining confidence of the marine predators.

“Establishing those relationships over time takes a lot of dedication and a lot of affection. At the outset, they’re very unsure of you,” she said. “Over time, you gain shared confidence. And they start being more trusting with you. It’s just so extraordinary and fulfilling.”

The trainer knew the whales were very smart, but she says she was nonetheless astounded by the subtleties and idiosyncrasies in their characters. She developed a special affection for two female belugas with different natures.

“One whale selected me. The other made me earn it,” she said. “They transformed the way I perceive relationships.”

Public Concerns and Facility Decline

Her connection with the whales evolved against a background of growing public opposition to their captivity.

During her three years at the facility, seven belugas and the park’s one killer whale, the orca, succumbed. In total, nineteen belugas have died at the park since recent years, a statistic which the facility ascribes to age-related causes, but which activists say reflects the substandard environment in which they were kept.

The park did not operate to the public over the summer, but Burgess says she saw with her own eyes results of the cessation. “Structural materials is breaking off from the tanks because they’re falling apart and not being maintained. The whales are exploratory and so they take pieces and swim around with chunks in their jaws. It’s upsetting to see.”

The facility did not respond to a request for comment, but earlier asserted: “The whales … obtain far higher quality health care and around the clock supervision than any person in the Britain, or other places.”

Fate in Limbo and Potential Resolutions

Burgess was terminated from the facility in early March following the demise of Eos, an unwell beluga the employees had to put down. She said the park believed particulars of the death were leaked to the news outlets and she was fired shortly thereafter.

The lack of clarity over the whales’ outcome has left her and current and former trainers in distress. She says the park’s threat to end the lives of its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “practically unfeasible” task, adding any plans to euthanize even a one beluga would require “considerable staff”, equipment and specialized tools.

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

She backs demands for the whales to be removed right away from the facility, with its failing enclosures and dwindling staff.

In the autumn, the nation’s government official rejected a request to send the whales to China.

“To approve the proposal would have meant a ongoing existence in enclosure and a reversion to performance for audiences,” the minister commented. “As society, we know that belugas belong in the sea, not in enclosures for our amusement. I could not in ethical standing approve an transfer that would prolong the situation these belugas have endured.”

But Burgess said the minister’s statements reveal a broader incorrect perception of the circumstances of existence for belugas raised in confinement.

“The public needs to understand these are whales that have existed solely in captivity and they will need constant supervision for the rest of their years,” she said. “People just don’t comprehend that it’s not as straightforward as saying ‘close it down’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Ongoing Debate

As decision makers attempt to find a answer, suggestions have emerged, some of which have minimal feasibility. A suggested plan called for the belugas to be released into the open waters of Canada’s north – where whales are a primary resource of nourishment for Indigenous peoples.

A planned protected area in the province of eastern Canada, which recently received regulatory clearance, has shown to be contentious. The planned site, which includes extensive space of penned in ocean, doesn’t yet exist. Proponents remain optimistic that it could ultimately represent a long term resolution for a number of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among caretakers she’s consulted, there is “skepticism there” about what she said is “only an trial” in the whales’ future.

Others say the possibility of a refuge reflects a worldwide trend away from zoos and aquariums and could represent a workable plan in the short term.

An official, director of the plan, said the facility will simulate the mental engagement and feeding regimen the whales receive from trainers, albeit in a significantly bigger space. He said after the medical condition of whales is completely examined, which could take months|an extended period|