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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie Botts is an adorable small “ham sandwich”. The whale Orion – nicknamed “Onion” – is a big but fiercely protective companion. Zephyr has “ants in his pants” and sways like a wiggly creature. Lillooet the beluga is the “loving presence” with a kind nature.

Thirty enclosed beluga whales in a Canadian entertainment facility have become pawns in a struggle between a shuttered park, public officials and advocacy groups.

But those working directly with the whales say the heated discussion over their future often overlooks the nuances of the whales who, after spending their lives in confinement, have been closely studied by the caretakers who interact with them daily.

After the federal government blocked the export of the belugas to China, the controversial attraction near Niagara Falls where they are housed threatened to put them down unless the government covers the expense of their survival. The nation’s marine resources official has denied that request, placing the 30 whales in an dangerously unstable situation.

Highly Cognitive Marine Mammals

Scientists say that beluga whales’ neural makeup, along with their sound replication, cognitive challenges and group interactions suggest they are highly cognitive creatures – something Kristy Burgess observed directly.

Burgess spent three years as a marine mammal specialist, a job that required gaining confidence of the sea creatures.

“Developing those relationships over time takes a lot of regularity and a lot of love. At the outset, they’re very wary of you,” she said. “Eventually, you gain mutual trust. And they start being more trusting with you. It’s just so magical and fulfilling.”

Burgess knew the whales were exceptionally cognitive, but she says she was nonetheless surprised by the nuances and quirks in their dispositions. She cultivated a particular love for a pair of whales with contrasting temperaments.

“Eve selected me. Cleo made me earn it,” she said. “Each changed the way I view bonding.”

Public Concerns and Facility Decline

Her interaction with the whales progressed against a background of growing public opposition to their captivity.

During her tenure at the park, seven belugas and the park’s one killer whale, the orca, succumbed. In all, 19 belugas have died at the park since recent years, a number which the park attributes to expected lifespan, but which advocates say indicates the poor conditions in which they were housed.

The facility did not admit visitors to the visitors over the summer, but Burgess says she witnessed firsthand effects of the shutdown. “Concrete is breaking off from the tanks because they’re falling apart and not being maintained. The whales are inquisitive and so they take pieces and move about with fragments in their mouth. It’s distressing to see.”

The facility did not comment to a request for comment, but previously stated: “The whales … obtain far higher quality health care and 24/7 supervision than any human in the United Kingdom, or elsewhere.”

Uncertain Future and Potential Resolutions

Burgess was terminated from the facility in early March following the passing of Eos, an ailing beluga the caretakers had to euthanize. She said the facility suspected information of the death were disclosed to the press and she was released soon after.

The uncertainty over the whales’ fate has left her and other caretakers in distress. She says the park’s threat to end the lives of its whales is a leverage tool and is a “practically unfeasible” undertaking, adding any plans to euthanize even a single beluga would require “significant manpower”, vehicles and specialized tools.

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

She supports calls for the whales to be taken immediately from the park, with its failing enclosures and dwindling staff.

In the autumn, Canada’s fisheries minister turned down a proposal to export the whales to China.

“Allowing the request would have meant a perpetual life in confinement and a return to performance for audiences,” the minister stated. “As the public, we know that belugas should be in the wild, not in pools for our entertainment. I could not in clear conscience approve an export that would continue the conditions these belugas have endured.”

But Burgess said the official’s comments reflect a broader misunderstanding of the circumstances of living conditions for belugas living their whole lives in enclosures.

“The society needs to understand these are whales that have spent their whole lives in captivity and they will need constant supervision for the remainder of their lives,” she said. “Many just don’t realize that it’s not as easy as saying ‘end operations’.”

Alternative Habitat and Ongoing Debate

As officials attempt to find a resolution, suggestions have surfaced, some of which have questionable practicality. 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 local populations.

A proposed sanctuary in the province of eastern Canada, which has received official endorsement, has been contentious. The planned location, which includes a large area of penned in ocean, remains undeveloped. Supporters remain positive that it could in time represent a permanent resolution for a number of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among staff she’s discussed with, there is “no trust there” about what she said is “simply an trial” in the whales’ well-being.

Different voices say the idea of a refuge reflects a worldwide trend away from zoos and aquariums and could represent a viable plan in the coming months.

An official, head of the plan, said the facility will simulate the intellectual stimulation and diet the whales receive from trainers, albeit in a much larger environment. He said after the health of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|