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Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie is an adorable small “sweetheart”. Orion – called “Onion” – is a big but very loyal companion. Zephyr has “ants in his pants” and moves like a wiggly creature. Lillooet the beluga is the “most affectionate” with a gentle spirit.

Thirty enclosed beluga whales in a Canadian amusement park have been entangled in a struggle between a closed attraction, local and national governments and animal rights activists.

But those closest to the whales say the intense debate over their future often overlooks the nuances of the whales who, after living their entire lives in enclosed habitats, have been closely studied by the people who work with them regularly.

After the national authorities blocked the export of the belugas to China, the controversial attraction near Niagara Falls where they are housed stated it would consider to end their lives unless the authorities covers the upkeep of keeping them alive. The nation’s marine resources official has refused that request, placing the thirty whales in an increasingly precarious circumstance.

Highly Cognitive Marine Mammals

Experts say that beluga whales’ neuroanatomy, along with their vocal imitation skills, problem solving and communal behavior suggest they are deeply intelligent creatures – something a former trainer learned directly.

Burgess spent three years as a marine mammal specialist, a position that involved earning the trust of the sea creatures.

“Building up those connections over time takes a lot of dedication and a lot of care. At the start, they’re very wary of you,” she said. “In time, you gain mutual trust. And they start being more trusting with you. It’s just so wonderful and gratifying.”

The trainer knew the whales were very smart, but she says she was nonetheless surprised by the nuances and idiosyncrasies in their characters. She formed a deep bond for a pair of whales with opposing personalities.

“Eve chose me. Cleo required effort,” she said. “Both altered the way I understand bonding.”

Growing Opposition and Deteriorating Conditions

Burgess’s interaction with the whales evolved against a background of rising activist criticism to their confinement.

During her time at the facility, multiple belugas and the park’s one orca, the orca, passed away. In total, 19 belugas have died at the park since recent years, a toll which the park attributes to age-related causes, but which advocates say reflects the inadequate care in which they were maintained.

The facility did not admit visitors to the guests over the summer, but the former trainer says she witnessed firsthand consequences of the closure. “Structural materials is falling apart from the tanks because they’re degrading and not being repaired. The whales are exploratory and so they pick it up and move about with fragments in their mouth. It’s distressing to see.”

The facility did not respond to a questionnaire, but previously asserted: “The whales … get far higher quality medical attention and 24/7 care than any person in the United Kingdom, or elsewhere.”

Fate in Limbo and Potential Resolutions

The former employee was fired from the park in recent months following the passing of Eos, an sick beluga the caretakers had to put down. She said the park believed information of the incident were disclosed to the media and she was fired soon after.

The uncertainty over the whales’ outcome has left Burgess and staff members in despair. She says the facility’s ultimatum to euthanize its whales is a bargaining chip and is a “logistically impossible” endeavor, adding any attempts to euthanize even a single beluga would require “immense staff”, vehicles and heavy equipment.

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

Burgess supports requests for the whales to be removed immediately from the park, with its failing enclosures and reduced personnel.

In late September, Canada’s fisheries minister rejected a request to export the whales to China.

“Allowing the proposal would have meant a ongoing life in enclosure and a reversion to display for amusement,” the official wrote. “As Canadians, we know that marine mammals are meant for the wild, not in enclosures for our amusement. I could not in ethical standing authorize an export that would perpetuate the conditions these belugas have endured.”

But Burgess said the official’s remarks reflect a broader incorrect perception of the facts of life for belugas born in captivity.

“The people needs to realize these are whales that have spent their whole lives in confinement and they will need constant supervision for the remainder of their lives,” she said. “The public just don’t understand that it’s not as simple as saying ‘end operations’.”

Alternative Habitat and Ongoing Debate

As authorities work 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 natural habitat of the Arctic – where whales are a important part of sustenance for local populations.

A planned protected area in the region of Nova Scotia, which now received government approval, has proven highly debated. The future facility, which includes extensive space of enclosed sea water, remains undeveloped. Proponents remain optimistic that it could eventually represent a sustainable resolution for some of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among staff she’s discussed with, there is “skepticism there” about what she said is “simply an experiment” in the whales’ well-being.

Others say the possibility of a protected habitat reflects a changing attitudes away from animal displays and could represent a feasible approach in the coming months.

The project lead, leader of the initiative, said the location will replicate the intellectual stimulation and diet the whales obtain from trainers, albeit in a more expansive area. He said after the medical condition of whales is completely examined, which could take months|an extended period|