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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie Botts is an adorable little “ham sandwich”. The whale Orion – called “Onion Ring” – is a sizeable but fiercely protective companion. Another whale, Zephyr has “endless energy” and sways like a wiggly creature. Lillooet the beluga is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a heart of gold.

Thirty captive marine mammals in a Canadian entertainment facility have been caught in a disagreement between a shuttered park, local and national governments and advocacy groups.

But those working directly with the whales say the intense debate over their fate often ignores the complexities of the whales who, after growing up in confinement, have been carefully observed by the humans who work with them regularly.

After the Canadian government disallowed the transfer of the belugas to a foreign facility, the controversial amusement park near Niagara Falls where they are held stated it would consider to end their lives unless the authorities pays for the upkeep of their survival. Canada’s fisheries minister has refused that demand, placing the thirty whales in an dangerously unstable situation.

Highly Cognitive Sea Creatures

Experts say that beluga whales’ brain structure, along with their sound replication, problem solving and social skills suggest they are deeply intelligent animals – something Kristy Burgess discovered personally.

She spent three years as a whale caretaker, a job that entailed earning the trust of the sea creatures.

“Developing those bonds over time takes a lot of consistency and a lot of love. At the start, they’re very unsure of you,” she said. “In time, you gain mutual trust. And they start being more open with you. It’s just so wonderful and gratifying.”

The trainer knew the whales were highly intelligent, but she says she was nonetheless astounded by the subtleties and idiosyncrasies in their dispositions. She cultivated a special affection for two female belugas with different personalities.

“One whale selected me. The other demanded work,” she said. “Each altered the way I view bonding.”

Public Concerns and Facility Decline

Her relationship with the whales developed against a background of increasing societal concern to their enclosure.

During her time at the park, multiple belugas and the park’s one killer whale, the orca, succumbed. In all, nineteen belugas have died at the park since recent years, a number which the facility attributes to natural mortality, but which campaigners say reflects the poor conditions in which they were kept.

The facility did not operate to the guests over the summer, but the former trainer says she saw with her own eyes consequences of the shutdown. “Concrete is deteriorating from the enclosures because they’re degrading and not being fixed. The whales are curious and so they pick it up and move about with chunks in their jaws. It’s upsetting to see.”

The facility did not reply to a inquiry, but in the past stated: “The whales … obtain far superior medical attention and around the clock supervision than any individual in the United Kingdom, or other places.”

Uncertain Future and Potential Resolutions

Burgess was terminated from the park in the spring following the passing of a beluga, an sick beluga the caretakers had to euthanize. She said the park believed information of the incident were leaked to the media and she was fired shortly thereafter.

The ambiguity over the whales’ outcome has left her and current and former trainers in despair. She says the facility’s ultimatum to euthanize its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “extremely difficult” task, adding any efforts to humanely kill even a one beluga would require “immense personnel”, vehicles and machinery.

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

She advocates for demands for the whales to be removed right away from the facility, with its deteriorating pools and reduced personnel.

In late September, the nation’s government official turned down a bid to export the whales to China.

“Granting the proposal would have meant a perpetual life in enclosure and a return to display for amusement,” the minister wrote. “As Canadians, we know that whales should be in the ocean, not in enclosures for our amusement. I could not in ethical standing approve an export that would prolong the situation these belugas have experienced.”

But the former trainer said the official’s comments indicate a wider lack of awareness of the realities of life for belugas living their whole lives in enclosures.

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

Sanctuary Proposal and Continuing Discussion

As authorities attempt to find a answer, proposals have been put forward, some of which have questionable practicality. A suggested plan called for the belugas to be let go into the natural habitat of the Arctic – where whales are a important part of nourishment for local populations.

A proposed refuge in the province of Nova Scotia, which has received official endorsement, has proven most controversial. The future location, which includes extensive space of penned in ocean, remains undeveloped. Proponents remain hopeful that it could ultimately represent a long term answer for a number of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among caretakers she’s discussed with, there is “no trust there” about what she said is “merely an experiment” in the whales’ fate.

Others say the prospect of a protected habitat represents a worldwide trend away from zoos and aquariums and could represent a viable approach in the short term.

An official, director of the sanctuary project, said the site will simulate the intellectual stimulation and diet the whales receive from specialists, albeit in a significantly bigger area. He said after the well-being of whales is completely examined, which could take months|an extended period|