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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie Botts is an charming small “playful character”. Orion – nicknamed “Onion Ring” – is a big but very loyal friend. Zephyr has “endless energy” and wiggles like a wiggly creature. Lillooet the beluga is the “loving presence” with a kind nature.

A group of thirty captive beluga whales in a Canada-based amusement park have been entangled in a disagreement between a closed attraction, government authorities and welfare campaigners.

But those most familiar with the whales say the heated discussion over their destiny often fails to consider the nuances of the whales who, after living their entire lives in enclosed habitats, have been closely studied by the people who see them each day.

After the Canadian government disallowed the sale of the belugas to China, the struggling attraction near Niagara Falls where they are kept stated it would consider to end their lives unless the authorities pays for the expense of keeping them alive. The nation’s fisheries minister has denied that demand, placing the 30 whales in an dangerously unstable situation.

Highly Cognitive Marine Mammals

Researchers say that belugas’ neuroanatomy, along with their sound replication, problem solving and group interactions suggest they are highly cognitive mammals – something one caretaker learned first-hand.

Burgess spent three years as a whale caretaker, a role that required building relationships of the sea creatures.

“Establishing those bonds over time takes a lot of dedication and a lot of care. At the beginning, they’re very unsure of you,” she said. “Over time, you gain mutual trust. And they start being more vulnerable with you. It’s just so wonderful and rewarding.”

Burgess knew the whales were exceptionally cognitive, but she says she was nonetheless amazed by the subtleties and unique traits in their dispositions. She formed a deep bond for Eve and Cleopatra with different temperaments.

“One whale chose me. Cleo demanded work,” she said. “They transformed the way I view connection.”

Growing Opposition and Facility Decline

Her connection with the whales evolved against a backdrop of growing public opposition to their enclosure.

During her time at the attraction, seven belugas and the park’s single orca, the orca, passed away. In all, 19 belugas have perished at the park since recent years, a number which the facility ascribes to expected lifespan, but which campaigners say indicates the inadequate care in which they were kept.

The park did not operate to the guests over the recent season, but Burgess says she observed directly results of the closure. “Concrete is falling apart from the pools because they’re degrading and not being maintained. The whales are exploratory and so they take pieces and swim around with fragments in their jaws. It’s heartbreaking to see.”

The facility did not comment to a inquiry, but earlier stated: “The whales … receive far higher quality medical attention and around the clock supervision than any person in the UK, or anywhere else.”

Fate in Limbo and Potential Resolutions

Burgess was fired from the facility in the spring following the passing of Eos, an unwell beluga the caretakers had to put down. She said the facility believed information of the incident were leaked to the media and she was let go soon after.

The ambiguity over the whales’ fate has left her and other caretakers in despair. She says the facility’s threat to kill its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “practically unfeasible” task, adding any attempts to humanely kill even a one beluga would require “considerable staff”, vehicles and machinery.

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

Burgess supports requests for the whales to be removed right away from the facility, with its failing enclosures and reduced personnel.

In recent months, the nation’s government official denied a request to transfer the whales to China.

“Allowing the request would have meant a ongoing existence in captivity and a reversion to display for amusement,” the minister wrote. “As society, we know that belugas belong in the ocean, not in tanks for our entertainment. I could not in good conscience approve an export that would prolong the conditions these belugas have experienced.”

But Burgess said the minister’s remarks indicate a more general incorrect perception of the facts of living conditions for belugas born in captivity.

“The public needs to realize these are whales that have lived entirely in enclosed habitats and they will need ongoing assistance for the rest of their years,” she said. “The public just don’t understand that it’s not as simple as saying ‘end operations’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Ongoing Debate

As authorities attempt to find a solution, suggestions have been put forward, some of which have questionable practicality. An idea called for the belugas to be released into the open waters of Canada’s north – where whales are a key source of sustenance for Indigenous peoples.

A proposed sanctuary in the province of eastern Canada, which has received government approval, has been highly debated. The future facility, which includes 100 acres of protected cove, is not yet built. Proponents remain optimistic that it could eventually represent a long term resolution for some of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among caretakers she’s spoken with, there is “skepticism there” about what she said is “merely an trial” in the whales’ fate.

Others say the prospect of a protected habitat reflects a changing attitudes away from animal displays and could represent a feasible solution in the near future.

The project lead, director of the initiative, said the facility will mimic the intellectual stimulation and diet the whales receive from trainers, albeit in a more expansive area. He said after the well-being of whales is completely examined, which could take months|an extended period|