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Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie Botts is an charming small “sweetheart”. Orion – called “Onion Ring” – is a sizeable but very loyal friend. Another whale, Zephyr has “endless energy” and moves like a wiggly creature. Lillooet the beluga is the “most affectionate” with a heart of gold.

A group of thirty captive beluga whales in a Canadian amusement park have been caught in a tussle between a shuttered park, local and national governments and welfare campaigners.

But those working directly with the whales say the impassioned debate over their fate often fails to consider the complexities of the whales who, after growing up in captivity, have been closely studied by the caretakers who work with them regularly.

After the federal government prevented the export of the belugas to a foreign facility, the embattled attraction near Niagara Falls where they are held threatened to euthanize them unless the government funds the upkeep of their care. The nation’s marine resources official has refused that request, placing the thirty whales in an increasingly precarious position.

Highly Cognitive Marine Mammals

Experts say that belugas’ neuroanatomy, along with their sound replication, cognitive challenges and communal behavior indicate they are highly cognitive animals – something one caretaker discovered first-hand.

She spent several years as a beluga trainer, a role that required earning the trust of the aquatic animals.

“Developing those connections over time takes a lot of consistency and a lot of care. At the outset, they’re very wary of you,” she said. “Over time, you gain shared confidence. And they start being more open with you. It’s just so magical and fulfilling.”

Burgess knew the whales were exceptionally cognitive, but she says she was even so surprised by the details and unique traits in their personalities. She formed a special affection for a pair of whales with opposing temperaments.

“One whale accepted me. Cleo demanded work,” she said. “They changed the way I perceive relationships.”

Public Concerns and Facility Decline

Her connection with the whales developed against a background of rising activist criticism to their enclosure.

During her tenure at the attraction, seven belugas and the park’s one killer whale, the orca, died. In total, nineteen belugas have perished at the park since recent years, a statistic which the park ascribes to natural mortality, but which activists say points to the inadequate care in which they were maintained.

The facility did not admit visitors to the guests over the recent season, but the former trainer says she witnessed firsthand consequences of the closure. “Structural materials is falling apart from the enclosures because they’re falling apart and not being repaired. The whales are inquisitive and so they grab fragments and move about with fragments in their mouth. It’s upsetting to see.”

The facility did not respond to a questionnaire, but previously stated: “The whales … receive far higher quality veterinary services and 24/7 attention than any person in the United Kingdom, or other places.”

Fate in Limbo and Proposed Solutions

The former employee was terminated from the facility in the spring following the passing of a beluga, an sick beluga the caretakers had to euthanize. She said the facility believed details of the incident were shared to the news outlets and she was let go soon after.

The uncertainty over the whales’ outcome has left Burgess and other caretakers in despair. She says the facility’s warning to end the lives of its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “practically unfeasible” task, adding any efforts to humanely kill even a individual beluga would require “considerable personnel”, equipment and specialized tools.

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

She advocates for requests for the whales to be removed right away from the park, with its deteriorating pools and dwindling staff.

In the autumn, Canada’s government official rejected a bid to transfer the whales to China.

“Allowing the proposal would have meant a ongoing situation in enclosure and a reversion to display for amusement,” the official stated. “As the public, we know that whales should be in the sea, not in enclosures for our enjoyment. I could not in good conscience approve an export that would perpetuate the situation these belugas have suffered.”

But the former trainer said the minister’s statements indicate a more general 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 captivity and they will need human care for the remainder of their lives,” she said. “The public just don’t comprehend that it’s not as easy as saying ‘close it down’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Continuing Discussion

As decision makers attempt to find a answer, proposals have been put forward, some of which have questionable practicality. One proposal called for the belugas to be freed into the natural habitat of the Arctic – where whales are a key source of food for local populations.

A proposed sanctuary in the province of eastern Canada, which has received regulatory clearance, has been contentious. The prospective facility, which includes extensive space of penned in ocean, is not yet built. Advocates remain positive that it could eventually represent a long term answer for eight of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among trainers she’s spoken with, there is “skepticism there” about what she said is “simply an untested concept” in the whales’ fate.

Different voices say the prospect of a protected habitat reflects a broader global shift away from zoos and aquariums and could represent a viable solution in the near future.

An official, director of the plan, said the site will mimic the cognitive activities and nutrition the whales receive from specialists, albeit in a more expansive area. He said after the health of whales is fully assessed, which could take months|an extended period|