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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie is an cute little “sweetheart”. The whale Orion – nicknamed “Onion Ring” – is a sizeable but very loyal companion. Another whale, Zephyr has “ants in his pants” and moves like a worm. Lillooet is the “most affectionate” with a kind nature.

A group of thirty enclosed beluga whales in a Canadian entertainment facility have been entangled in a tussle between a closed attraction, public officials and welfare campaigners.

But those most familiar with the whales say the intense debate over their destiny often overlooks the nuances of the whales who, after growing up in confinement, have been carefully observed by the caretakers who see them each day.

After the Canadian government blocked the sale of the belugas to a foreign facility, the struggling attraction near Niagara Falls where they are housed warned to euthanize them unless the government covers the cost of keeping them alive. Canada’s fisheries minister has rejected that ultimatum, placing the 30 whales in an dangerously unstable position.

Intelligent Marine Mammals

Scientists say that belugas’ neural makeup, along with their mimicry abilities, problem solving and communal behavior indicate they are highly cognitive animals – something a former trainer discovered first-hand.

She spent three years as a beluga trainer, a position that required building relationships of the marine predators.

“Establishing those relationships over time takes a lot of consistency and a lot of care. At the start, they’re very cautious of you,” she said. “Over time, you gain mutual trust. And they start being more trusting with you. It’s just so magical and gratifying.”

Burgess knew the whales were highly intelligent, but she says she was nonetheless surprised by the nuances and idiosyncrasies in their personalities. She formed a special affection for two female belugas with different personalities.

“One whale chose me. Cleo demanded work,” she said. “Each changed the way I perceive connection.”

Public Concerns and Facility Decline

Burgess’s interaction with the whales developed against a context of rising activist criticism to their confinement.

During her time at the facility, seven belugas and the park’s single killer whale, the orca, passed away. In total, 19 belugas have perished at the park since recent years, a toll which the park links to age-related causes, but which advocates say points to the inadequate care in which they were kept.

The park did not admit visitors to the visitors over the recent season, but the former trainer says she observed directly effects of the cessation. “Concrete is falling apart from the enclosures because they’re falling apart and not being maintained. The whales are curious and so they pick it up and move about with pieces in their jaws. It’s heartbreaking to see.”

The park did not respond to a request for comment, but previously claimed: “The whales … obtain far higher quality veterinary services and around the clock supervision than any human in the Britain, or other places.”

Fate in Limbo and Potential Resolutions

Burgess was terminated from the park in early March following the death of a beluga, an sick beluga the employees had to euthanize. She said the facility thought information of the death were shared to the news outlets and she was fired shortly thereafter.

The lack of clarity over the whales’ fate has left Burgess and other caretakers in despair. She says the facility’s ultimatum to euthanize its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “practically unfeasible” undertaking, adding any plans to euthanize even a single beluga would require “considerable personnel”, vehicles and machinery.

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

Burgess backs requests for the whales to be transferred right away from the facility, with its deteriorating pools and dwindling staff.

In recent months, Canada’s government official rejected a request to transfer the whales to an overseas location.

“To approve the proposal would have meant a continued existence in enclosure and a return to public entertainment,” the minister wrote. “As the public, we know that belugas should be in the sea, not in pools for our amusement. I could not in good conscience approve an relocation that would perpetuate the treatment these belugas have experienced.”

But Burgess said the official’s statements reflect a more general lack of awareness of the realities of life for belugas living their whole lives in enclosures.

“The society needs to understand these are whales that have existed solely in confinement and they will need ongoing assistance for the foreseeable future,” she said. “Many just don’t comprehend that it’s not as straightforward as saying ‘close it down’.”

Alternative Habitat and Continuing Discussion

As officials struggle to find a answer, proposals have emerged, some of which have minimal feasibility. An idea called for the belugas to be let go into the natural habitat of northern regions – where whales are a important part of sustenance for Indigenous peoples.

A proposed protected area in the region of Nova Scotia, which has received official endorsement, has been highly debated. The prospective location, which includes extensive space of enclosed sea water, is not yet built. Supporters remain positive that it could eventually represent a long term resolution for some of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among staff she’s discussed with, there is “doubts there” about what she said is “simply an experiment” in the whales’ fate.

Different voices say the possibility of a refuge reflects a broader global shift away from zoos and aquariums and could represent a viable plan in the near future.

Charles Vinick, head of the plan, said the location will simulate the mental engagement and nutrition 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|