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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie is an charming small “sweetheart”. The whale Orion – nicknamed “Onion Ring” – is a sizeable but very loyal friend. Another whale, Zephyr has “constant motion” and wiggles like a wiggly creature. Lillooet is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a heart of gold.

Thirty captive marine mammals in a Canadian amusement park have been entangled in a struggle between a defunct facility, local and national governments and advocacy groups.

But those closest to the whales say the impassioned controversy over their destiny often fails to consider the individual traits of the whales who, after living their entire lives in enclosed habitats, have been thoroughly researched by the caretakers who work with them regularly.

After the national authorities blocked the export of the belugas to a foreign facility, the struggling amusement park near Niagara Falls where they are kept warned to put them down unless the authorities funds the expense of their care. The nation’s marine resources official has refused that ultimatum, placing the thirty whales in an dangerously unstable circumstance.

Intelligent Sea Creatures

Scientists say that belugas’ brain structure, along with their mimicry abilities, cognitive challenges and communal behavior suggest they are highly cognitive mammals – something one caretaker observed personally.

She spent a significant period as a marine mammal specialist, a role that required gaining confidence of the aquatic animals.

“Building up those relationships over time takes a lot of consistency and a lot of affection. At the outset, they’re very wary of you,” she said. “Eventually, you gain mutual trust. And they start being more vulnerable with you. It’s just so extraordinary and fulfilling.”

The trainer knew the whales were highly intelligent, but she says she was nevertheless amazed by the nuances and unique traits in their characters. She developed a particular love for two female belugas with different personalities.

“One whale selected me. Cleo required effort,” she said. “Each altered the way I understand bonding.”

Growing Opposition and Facility Decline

Her relationship with the whales progressed against a background of growing public opposition to their confinement.

During her time at the park, multiple belugas and the park’s single orca, Kiska, succumbed. In total, nineteen belugas have died at the park since recent years, a statistic which the facility attributes to expected lifespan, but which campaigners say points to the poor conditions in which they were kept.

The facility did not admit visitors to the visitors over the summer, but the former trainer says she saw with her own eyes results of the shutdown. “Concrete is deteriorating from the pools because they’re degrading and not being repaired. The whales are exploratory and so they grab fragments and navigate with fragments in their jaws. It’s upsetting to see.”

The facility did not comment to a questionnaire, but previously claimed: “The whales … get far better veterinary services and around the clock attention than any human in the United Kingdom, or other places.”

Uncertain Future and Proposed Solutions

The former employee was dismissed from the park in recent months following the death of Eos, an ailing beluga the park staff had to humanely kill. She said the facility suspected particulars of the death were disclosed to the press and she was released not long after.

The uncertainty over the whales’ outcome has left Burgess and current and former trainers in despair. She says the park’s warning to kill its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “practically unfeasible” endeavor, adding any attempts to humanely kill even a single beluga would require “significant staff”, equipment and heavy equipment.

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

Burgess supports requests for the whales to be transferred promptly from the park, with its deteriorating pools and dwindling staff.

In late September, Canada’s fisheries minister denied a request to transfer the whales to China.

“Granting the request would have meant a continued life in confinement and a reversion to display for amusement,” the minister stated. “As the public, we know that belugas belong in the wild, not in enclosures for our enjoyment. I could not in clear conscience authorize an transfer that would perpetuate the conditions these belugas have endured.”

But Burgess said the official’s comments reveal a broader incorrect perception of the facts of life for belugas raised in confinement.

“The people needs to understand these are whales that have existed solely in enclosed habitats and they will need ongoing assistance for the remainder of their lives,” she said. “People just don’t understand that it’s not as easy as saying ‘shut it down’.”

Alternative Habitat and Ongoing Debate

As officials struggle to find a resolution, proposals have surfaced, some of which have little basis in reality. One proposal 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 refuge in the province of eastern Canada, which has received official endorsement, has shown to be highly debated. The future location, which includes extensive space of penned in ocean, remains undeveloped. Supporters remain positive that it could eventually represent a sustainable answer for eight of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among caretakers she’s spoken with, there is “no trust there” about what she said is “only an experiment” in the whales’ fate.

Different voices say the idea of a protected habitat indicates a changing attitudes away from captive facilities and could represent a workable solution in the short term.

Charles Vinick, head of the initiative, said the facility will replicate the mental engagement and feeding regimen the whales obtain from specialists, albeit in a significantly bigger area. He said after the well-being of whales is fully assessed, which could take months|an extended period|