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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie Botts is an adorable small “sweetheart”. The whale Orion – nicknamed “Onion” – is a large but very loyal friend. Another whale, Zephyr has “ants in his pants” and wiggles like a worm. Lillooet is the “loving presence” with a kind nature.

Thirty captive beluga whales in a Canada-based amusement park have been entangled in a disagreement between a shuttered park, public officials and welfare campaigners.

But those most familiar with the whales say the heated discussion over their future often ignores the nuances of the whales who, after living their entire lives in enclosed habitats, have been closely studied by the caretakers who interact with them daily.

After the national authorities disallowed the export of the belugas to China, the embattled amusement park near the famous falls where they are held stated it would consider to put them down unless the authorities covers the expense of their care. The nation’s marine resources official has refused that demand, placing the 30 whales in an ever more uncertain circumstance.

Intelligent Sea Creatures

Experts say that belugas’ brain structure, along with their vocal imitation skills, cognitive challenges and group interactions indicate they are highly cognitive animals – something a former trainer observed directly.

Burgess spent several years as a whale caretaker, a position that involved building relationships of the aquatic animals.

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

Burgess knew the whales were highly intelligent, but she says she was nonetheless surprised by the details and quirks in their personalities. She formed a deep bond for a pair of whales with different personalities.

“Eve chose me. Cleo demanded work,” she said. “They transformed the way I understand connection.”

Public Concerns and Deteriorating Conditions

Her interaction with the whales developed against a background of increasing societal concern to their captivity.

During her time at the facility, multiple belugas and the park’s one killer whale, Kiska, died. In total, nineteen belugas have died at the park since recent years, a statistic which the facility attributes to age-related causes, but which campaigners say indicates the inadequate care in which they were maintained.

The facility did not open to the visitors over the summer, but the former trainer says she observed directly consequences of the shutdown. “Structural materials is deteriorating from the pools because they’re degrading and not being maintained. The whales are curious and so they pick it up and swim around with fragments in their jaws. It’s heartbreaking to see.”

The park did not respond to a request for comment, but earlier stated: “The whales … get far higher quality veterinary services and 24/7 care than any human in the UK, or other places.”

Fate in Limbo and Proposed Solutions

Burgess was terminated from the facility in early March following the death of a beluga, an sick beluga the caretakers had to humanely kill. She said the facility believed particulars of the death were disclosed to the news outlets and she was released soon after.

The uncertainty over the whales’ fate has left her and staff members in distress. She says the park’s ultimatum to euthanize its whales is a bargaining chip and is a “practically unfeasible” task, adding any attempts to put down even a individual beluga would require “considerable personnel”, vehicles and specialized tools.

“There’s no way in hell the staff would ever do it,” she said.

Burgess supports calls for the whales to be removed immediately from the facility, with its deteriorating pools and reduced personnel.

In the autumn, Canada’s fisheries minister turned down a bid to transfer the whales to an overseas location.

“Allowing the proposal would have meant a ongoing situation in enclosure and a reversion to display for amusement,” the minister commented. “As the public, we know that whales belong in the wild, not in pools for our entertainment. I could not in clear conscience approve an relocation that would perpetuate the treatment these belugas have endured.”

But the former trainer said the minister’s remarks reflect a wider misunderstanding 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 human care for the foreseeable future,” she said. “The public just don’t understand that it’s not as simple as saying ‘shut it down’.”

Alternative Habitat and Ongoing Debate

As decision makers work to find a solution, ideas have surfaced, some of which have little basis in reality. A suggested plan called for the belugas to be released into the natural habitat of northern regions – where whales are a primary resource of food for Inuit communities.

A proposed sanctuary in the region of Nova Scotia, which has received government approval, has proven most controversial. The future site, which includes 100 acres of protected cove, remains undeveloped. Advocates remain optimistic that it could ultimately represent a permanent solution for a number of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among trainers she’s spoken with, there is “skepticism there” about what she said is “merely an experiment” in the whales’ well-being.

Different voices say the idea of a protected habitat represents a worldwide trend away from captive facilities and could represent a viable plan in the near future.

An official, director of the initiative, said the site will replicate the mental engagement and diet the whales receive from caretakers, albeit in a more expansive space. He said after the health of whales is fully assessed, which could take months|an extended period|