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Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie is an adorable small “ham sandwich”. Orion – nicknamed “Onion Ring” – is a big but guardian-like companion. Another whale, Zephyr has “constant motion” and moves like a worm. Lillooet is the “loving presence” with a heart of gold.

Thirty captive beluga whales in a Canada-based amusement park have been entangled in a struggle between a defunct facility, public officials and advocacy groups.

But those working directly with the whales say the intense discussion over their destiny often ignores the individual traits of the whales who, after growing up in confinement, have been carefully observed by the caretakers who see them each day.

After the federal government blocked the export of the belugas to China, the struggling amusement park near Niagara Falls where they are held threatened to end their lives unless the authorities covers the upkeep of keeping them alive. The nation’s fisheries minister has rejected that request, placing the thirty whales in an increasingly precarious position.

Highly Cognitive Sea Creatures

Scientists say that belugas’ neuroanatomy, along with their vocal imitation skills, problem solving and communal behavior suggest they are deeply intelligent mammals – something Kristy Burgess observed personally.

She spent a significant period as a beluga trainer, a position that required gaining confidence of the sea creatures.

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

Burgess knew the whales were very smart, but she says she was nevertheless surprised by the details and quirks in their personalities. She developed a special affection for a pair of whales with contrasting natures.

“Eve selected me. Cleo made me earn it,” she said. “They transformed the way I perceive bonding.”

Growing Opposition and Deteriorating Conditions

Her connection with the whales progressed against a backdrop of growing public opposition to their confinement.

During her three years at the attraction, multiple belugas and the park’s single killer whale, Kiska, succumbed. In all, nineteen belugas have died at the park since recent years, a statistic which the park attributes to expected lifespan, but which campaigners say points to the substandard environment in which they were maintained.

The facility did not operate to the public over the summer, but Burgess says she witnessed firsthand consequences of the shutdown. “Concrete is falling apart from the tanks because they’re degrading and not being repaired. The whales are curious and so they take pieces and move about with pieces in their mouth. It’s upsetting to see.”

The park did not reply to a questionnaire, but in the past stated: “The whales … get far better medical attention and constant attention than any individual in the Britain, or anywhere else.”

Uncertain Future and Proposed Solutions

Burgess was terminated from the facility in recent months following the demise of Eos, an unwell beluga the employees had to euthanize. She said the facility suspected particulars of the death were leaked to the media and she was fired not long after.

The uncertainty over the whales’ fate has left Burgess and other caretakers in distress. She says the facility’s threat to euthanize its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “logistically impossible” task, adding any efforts to euthanize even a one beluga would require “considerable staff”, trucks and machinery.

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

Burgess backs demands for the whales to be transferred promptly from the facility, with its failing enclosures and shrinking team.

In recent months, Canada’s government official rejected a request to export the whales to China.

“Allowing the application would have meant a continued situation in confinement and a return to performance for audiences,” the official stated. “As Canadians, we know that marine mammals belong in the ocean, not in pools for our amusement. I could not in good conscience authorize an transfer that would prolong the situation these belugas have experienced.”

But the former trainer said the official’s statements reveal a more general incorrect perception of the circumstances of life for belugas raised in confinement.

“The public needs to understand these are whales that have spent their whole lives in enclosed habitats and they will need constant supervision for the remainder of their lives,” she said. “The public just don’t realize that it’s not as simple as saying ‘shut it down’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Continuing Discussion

As authorities work to find a answer, proposals have surfaced, some of which have minimal feasibility. A suggested plan called for the belugas to be released into the wilds of northern regions – where whales are a key source of nourishment for Inuit communities.

A planned protected area in the region of Nova Scotia, which now received regulatory clearance, has proven most controversial. The future site, which includes 100 acres of enclosed sea water, remains undeveloped. Supporters remain hopeful that it could ultimately represent a sustainable solution for some of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among staff she’s consulted, there is “no trust there” about what she said is “simply an untested concept” in the whales’ well-being.

Some experts say the possibility of a sanctuary represents a worldwide trend away from animal displays and could represent a workable solution in the coming months.

Charles Vinick, head of the plan, said the facility will replicate the cognitive activities and feeding regimen the whales obtain from trainers, albeit in a significantly bigger area. He said after the health of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|