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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie Botts is an cute little “playful character”. Orion – called “Onion” – is a large but fiercely protective friend. Zephyr has “endless energy” and sways like a wiggly creature. Lillooet is the “most affectionate” with a gentle spirit.

Thirty enclosed beluga whales in a Canadian amusement park have been entangled in a struggle between a closed attraction, public officials and welfare campaigners.

But those closest to the whales say the impassioned discussion over their future often overlooks the nuances of the whales who, after living their entire lives in confinement, have been thoroughly researched by the caretakers who interact with them daily.

After the national authorities blocked the export of the belugas to China, the struggling attraction near the famous falls where they are housed warned to put them down unless the authorities pays for the cost of keeping them alive. The nation’s marine resources official has denied that demand, placing the thirty whales in an increasingly precarious position.

Highly Cognitive Marine Mammals

Researchers say that belugas’ neural makeup, along with their mimicry abilities, cognitive challenges and communal behavior indicate they are deeply intelligent animals – something one caretaker discovered personally.

She spent several years as a marine mammal specialist, a position that required earning the trust of the sea creatures.

“Building up those connections over time takes a lot of consistency and a lot of care. At the beginning, they’re very wary of you,” she said. “In time, you gain shared confidence. And they start being more trusting with you. It’s just so magical and fulfilling.”

The trainer knew the whales were very smart, but she says she was nevertheless astounded by the nuances and quirks in their characters. She cultivated a special affection for two female belugas with contrasting personalities.

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

Public Concerns and Deteriorating Conditions

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

During her tenure at the facility, multiple belugas and the park’s single killer whale, the orca, succumbed. In total, nineteen belugas have perished at the park since recent years, a statistic which the facility ascribes to natural mortality, but which activists say reflects the poor conditions in which they were maintained.

The park did not operate to the public over the summer, but Burgess says she observed directly results of the shutdown. “Concrete is falling apart from the tanks because they’re falling apart and not being fixed. The whales are curious and so they pick it up and swim around with pieces in their jaws. It’s heartbreaking to see.”

The facility did not comment to a questionnaire, but in the past asserted: “The whales … obtain far higher quality medical attention and constant attention than any individual in the UK, or elsewhere.”

Fate in Limbo and Potential Resolutions

Burgess was fired from the park in recent months following the demise of Eos, an ailing beluga the park staff had to humanely kill. She said the park thought details of the incident were leaked to the media and she was let go not long after.

The ambiguity over the whales’ fate has left Burgess and staff members in distress. She says the park’s ultimatum to kill its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “practically unfeasible” task, adding any efforts to put down even a one beluga would require “immense manpower”, trucks and heavy equipment.

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

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

In recent months, the nation’s government official denied a request to export the whales to an overseas location.

“Granting the request would have meant a perpetual existence in captivity and a return to public entertainment,” the official wrote. “As Canadians, we know that marine mammals belong in the wild, not in enclosures for our amusement. I could not in ethical standing approve an transfer that would prolong the situation these belugas have experienced.”

But the former trainer said the official’s comments indicate a wider misunderstanding of the realities of living conditions for belugas born in captivity.

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

Alternative Habitat and Ongoing Debate

As decision makers struggle to find a resolution, ideas have emerged, some of which have questionable practicality. A suggested plan called for the belugas to be freed into the wilds of northern regions – where whales are a important part of sustenance for local populations.

A planned sanctuary in the region of eastern Canada, which recently received government approval, has proven highly debated. The prospective site, which includes extensive space of penned in ocean, doesn’t yet exist. Supporters remain hopeful that it could in time represent a long term solution for some of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among trainers she’s spoken with, there is “doubts there” about what she said is “merely an experiment” in the whales’ future.

Some experts say the possibility of a sanctuary reflects a changing attitudes away from zoos and aquariums and could represent a workable solution in the near future.

An official, director of the initiative, said the site will simulate the intellectual stimulation and diet the whales get from trainers, albeit in a significantly bigger environment. He said after the health of whales is fully assessed, which could take months|an extended period|