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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie Botts is an charming small “playful character”. The whale Orion – nicknamed “Onion Ring” – is a sizeable but very loyal friend. Zephyr has “constant motion” and moves like a wiggly creature. Lillooet the beluga is the “most affectionate” with a gentle spirit.

Thirty captive beluga whales in a Canadian amusement park have been caught in a tussle between a closed attraction, public officials and advocacy groups.

But those closest to the whales say the heated discussion over their future often overlooks the nuances of the whales who, after growing up in confinement, have been closely studied by the caretakers who see them each day.

After the Canadian government prevented the transfer of the belugas to a foreign facility, the embattled attraction near Niagara Falls where they are housed threatened to euthanize them unless the authorities covers the upkeep of their survival. The nation’s fisheries minister has refused that request, placing the thirty whales in an increasingly precarious circumstance.

Intelligent Marine Mammals

Researchers say that beluga whales’ brain structure, along with their vocal imitation skills, cognitive challenges and communal behavior indicate they are deeply intelligent animals – something Kristy Burgess discovered directly.

Burgess spent several years as a whale caretaker, a job that entailed earning the trust of the marine predators.

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

Burgess knew the whales were very smart, but she says she was even so amazed by the subtleties and unique traits in their characters. She developed a special affection for Eve and Cleopatra with opposing personalities.

“Eve accepted me. The other made me earn it,” she said. “Each altered the way I understand relationships.”

Public Concerns and Deteriorating Conditions

Her relationship with the whales developed against a background of growing public opposition to their captivity.

During her three years at the attraction, seven belugas and the park’s one killer whale, Kiska, passed away. In all, 19 belugas have perished at the park since recent years, a number which the facility attributes to expected lifespan, but which activists say reflects the substandard environment in which they were kept.

The park did not operate to the public over the summer, but the former trainer says she observed directly consequences of the cessation. “Concrete is falling apart from the tanks because they’re in disrepair and not being maintained. The whales are exploratory and so they pick it up and move about with chunks in their jaws. It’s heartbreaking to see.”

The facility did not respond to a request for comment, but previously claimed: “The whales … receive far higher quality medical attention and 24/7 attention than any person in the United Kingdom, or other places.”

Fate in Limbo and Potential Resolutions

The former employee was fired from the park in recent months following the death of a beluga, an unwell beluga the caretakers had to put down. She said the facility believed information of the incident were disclosed to the press and she was released not long after.

The uncertainty over the whales’ outcome has left her and other caretakers in despair. She says the facility’s threat to euthanize its whales is a bargaining chip and is a “practically unfeasible” endeavor, adding any plans to euthanize even a individual beluga would require “immense personnel”, trucks and specialized tools.

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

Burgess advocates for demands for the whales to be taken immediately from the facility, with its crumbling tanks and shrinking team.

In recent months, Canada’s fisheries minister denied a proposal to send the whales to an overseas location.

“Granting the proposal would have meant a perpetual life in enclosure and a return to display for amusement,” the official wrote. “As Canadians, we know that whales belong in the ocean, not in pools for our amusement. I could not in clear conscience authorize an export that would perpetuate the conditions these belugas have endured.”

But the former trainer said the minister’s comments reflect a broader incorrect perception of the realities of life for belugas born in captivity.

“The people needs to grasp these are whales that have lived entirely in confinement and they will need human care for the rest of their years,” she said. “The public just don’t comprehend that it’s not as simple as saying ‘end operations’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Continuing Discussion

As decision makers attempt to find a resolution, suggestions have surfaced, some of which have minimal feasibility. One proposal called for the belugas to be let go into the wilds of the Arctic – where whales are a primary resource of food for Indigenous peoples.

A suggested sanctuary in the region of eastern Canada, which now received regulatory clearance, has shown to be most controversial. The prospective site, which includes extensive space of protected cove, is not yet built. Proponents remain positive that it could eventually represent a long term solution for a number of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among trainers she’s discussed with, there is “no trust there” about what she said is “only an trial” in the whales’ well-being.

Different voices say the idea of a sanctuary represents a broader global shift away from animal displays and could represent a feasible approach in the coming months.

An official, head of the initiative, said the facility will mimic the cognitive activities and diet the whales receive from caretakers, albeit in a much larger environment. He said after the medical condition of whales is fully assessed, which could take months|an extended period|