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Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie Botts is an adorable small “ham sandwich”. The whale Orion – nicknamed “Onion Ring” – is a sizeable but fiercely protective friend. Another whale, Zephyr has “constant motion” and sways like a wiggly creature. Lillooet is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a heart of gold.

Thirty enclosed beluga whales in a Canada-based amusement park have become pawns in a tussle between a shuttered park, public officials and animal rights activists.

But those working directly with the whales say the intense discussion over their future often ignores the individual traits of the whales who, after living their entire lives in confinement, have been carefully observed by the people who work with them regularly.

After the federal government prevented the export of the belugas to a foreign facility, the struggling amusement park near Niagara Falls where they are kept stated it would consider to put them down unless the federal government pays for the upkeep of keeping them alive. Canada’s marine resources official has denied that ultimatum, placing the 30 whales in an dangerously unstable circumstance.

Highly Cognitive Marine Mammals

Scientists say that belugas’ neuroanatomy, along with their vocal imitation skills, cognitive challenges and social skills indicate they are deeply intelligent animals – something a former trainer observed first-hand.

Burgess spent several years as a whale caretaker, a role that entailed gaining confidence of the marine predators.

“Building up those bonds over time takes a lot of dedication and a lot of love. At the start, they’re very cautious of you,” she said. “Eventually, you gain mutual trust. And they start being more open with you. It’s just so wonderful and rewarding.”

The trainer knew the whales were very smart, but she says she was even so surprised by the details and quirks in their personalities. She developed a deep bond for Eve and Cleopatra with different personalities.

“One whale accepted me. The other made me earn it,” she said. “Each changed the way I perceive connection.”

Growing Opposition and Facility Decline

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

During her time at the park, multiple belugas and the park’s one killer whale, the orca, passed away. In all, nineteen belugas have died at the park since recent years, a number which the facility ascribes to natural mortality, but which advocates say indicates the poor conditions in which they were housed.

The facility did not admit visitors to the guests over the recent season, but Burgess says she observed directly effects of the shutdown. “Structural materials is deteriorating from the pools because they’re in disrepair and not being maintained. The whales are exploratory and so they take pieces and move about with fragments in their jaws. It’s upsetting to see.”

The facility did not reply to a request for comment, but earlier stated: “The whales … obtain far better medical attention and 24/7 care than any person in the Britain, or anywhere else.”

Fate in Limbo and Potential Resolutions

The former employee was dismissed from the facility in recent months following the passing of Eos, an unwell beluga the caretakers had to put down. She said the park thought particulars of the incident were disclosed to the media and she was let go not long after.

The uncertainty over the whales’ outcome has left Burgess and staff members in anguish. She says the facility’s threat to end the lives of its whales is a leverage tool and is a “logistically impossible” task, adding any efforts to euthanize even a one beluga would require “considerable manpower”, equipment and specialized tools.

“It cannot happen in hell the staff would ever do it,” she said.

Burgess supports requests for the whales to be taken immediately from the facility, with its crumbling tanks and dwindling staff.

In the autumn, the nation’s government official denied a bid to transfer the whales to China.

“To approve the application would have meant a continued situation in confinement and a reversion to display for amusement,” the minister stated. “As society, we know that belugas are meant for the ocean, not in enclosures for our entertainment. I could not in good conscience approve an transfer that would continue the treatment these belugas have suffered.”

But Burgess said the minister’s comments indicate a more general incorrect perception of the circumstances of existence for belugas raised in confinement.

“The society needs to grasp these are whales that have spent their whole lives in captivity and they will need human care for the rest of their years,” she said. “People just don’t understand that it’s not as simple as saying ‘close it down’.”

Alternative Habitat and Continuing Discussion

As decision makers struggle to find a solution, ideas have emerged, some of which have questionable practicality. An idea called for the belugas to be freed into the open waters of Canada’s north – where whales are a key source of food for Inuit communities.

A planned refuge in the region of eastern Canada, which recently received official endorsement, has shown to be most controversial. The planned location, which includes 100 acres of penned in ocean, is not yet built. Supporters remain optimistic that it could ultimately represent a sustainable answer for a number of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among caretakers she’s consulted, there is “no trust there” about what she said is “simply an untested concept” in the whales’ fate.

Others say the prospect of a protected habitat indicates a broader global shift away from zoos and aquariums and could represent a viable plan in the coming months.

An official, director of the initiative, said the location will mimic the cognitive activities and feeding regimen the whales receive from trainers, albeit in a significantly bigger environment. He said after the health of whales is fully assessed, which could take months|an extended period|