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Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie Botts is an charming little “sweetheart”. The whale Orion – nicknamed “Onion Ring” – is a big but guardian-like companion. Another whale, Zephyr has “constant motion” and sways like a worm. Lillooet the beluga is the “loving presence” with a gentle spirit.

Thirty captive beluga whales in a Canada-based entertainment facility have been caught in a tussle between a defunct facility, local and national governments and advocacy groups.

But those closest to the whales say the heated controversy over their future often overlooks the individual traits of the whales who, after spending their lives in enclosed habitats, have been carefully observed by the humans who interact with them daily.

After the federal government blocked the transfer of the belugas to China, the struggling facility near Niagara Falls where they are kept stated it would consider to end their lives unless the federal government pays for the expense of their survival. The nation’s fisheries minister has rejected that ultimatum, placing the 30 whales in an dangerously unstable position.

Highly Cognitive Marine Mammals

Experts say that belugas’ neural makeup, along with their sound replication, problem solving and communal behavior indicate they are highly cognitive animals – something Kristy Burgess learned personally.

She spent a significant period as a beluga trainer, a role that involved gaining confidence of the sea creatures.

“Building up those relationships over time takes a lot of regularity and a lot of love. At the outset, they’re very wary of you,” she said. “Over time, you gain mutual trust. And they start being more open 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 details and quirks in their personalities. She cultivated a special affection for Eve and Cleopatra with opposing personalities.

“Eve chose me. Cleo made me earn it,” she said. “Both altered the way I view connection.”

Public Concerns and Deteriorating Conditions

Burgess’s connection with the whales evolved against a background of growing public opposition to their enclosure.

During her time at the park, multiple belugas and the park’s single orca, Kiska, succumbed. In total, 19 belugas have died at the park since recent years, a toll which the facility attributes to expected lifespan, but which campaigners say indicates the substandard environment in which they were maintained.

The facility did not open to the guests over the summer, but the former trainer says she witnessed firsthand results of the shutdown. “Structural materials is breaking off from the tanks because they’re falling apart and not being repaired. The whales are curious and so they grab fragments and move about with fragments in their jaws. It’s upsetting to see.”

The park did not respond to a questionnaire, but in the past stated: “The whales … obtain far better medical attention and 24/7 attention than any human in the UK, or other places.”

Uncertain Future and Potential Resolutions

Burgess was dismissed from the park in the spring following the passing of a beluga, an sick beluga the park staff had to euthanize. She said the facility believed details of the death were disclosed to the media and she was released shortly thereafter.

The uncertainty over the whales’ future has left Burgess and other caretakers in distress. She says the park’s warning to euthanize its whales is a leverage tool and is a “logistically impossible” endeavor, adding any plans to euthanize even a single beluga would require “considerable staff”, vehicles and machinery.

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

Burgess advocates for requests for the whales to be removed right away from the park, with its crumbling tanks and reduced personnel.

In late September, the nation’s government official denied a proposal to send the whales to China.

“To approve the proposal would have meant a perpetual life in captivity and a return to display for amusement,” the official commented. “As society, we know that belugas belong in the sea, not in enclosures for our entertainment. I could not in clear conscience approve an relocation that would perpetuate the treatment these belugas have experienced.”

But Burgess said the official’s statements indicate a more general misunderstanding of the realities of existence for belugas raised in confinement.

“The society needs to understand these are whales that have spent their whole lives in enclosed habitats and they will need constant supervision for the rest of their years,” she said. “People just don’t realize that it’s not as straightforward as saying ‘shut it down’.”

Alternative Habitat and Ongoing Debate

As authorities attempt to find a solution, suggestions have emerged, some of which have questionable practicality. An idea called for the belugas to be freed into the natural habitat of northern regions – where whales are a important part of sustenance for Inuit communities.

A proposed sanctuary in the province of Nova Scotia, which recently received government approval, has been most controversial. The planned site, which includes extensive space of enclosed sea water, remains undeveloped. Advocates remain positive that it could in time represent a sustainable answer for eight of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among staff she’s spoken with, there is “no trust there” about what she said is “merely an trial” in the whales’ well-being.

Others say the prospect of a refuge represents a broader global shift away from captive facilities and could represent a workable solution in the near future.

An official, head of the plan, said the facility will simulate the intellectual stimulation and nutrition the whales obtain from caretakers, albeit in a significantly bigger space. He said after the health of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|