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Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie Botts is an adorable small “sweetheart”. The whale Orion – nicknamed “Onion” – is a large but very loyal companion. Another whale, Zephyr has “endless energy” and wiggles like a worm. Lillooet the beluga is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a heart of gold.

Thirty enclosed beluga whales in a Canada-based entertainment facility have been entangled in a struggle between a shuttered park, local and national governments and animal rights activists.

But those working directly with the whales say the impassioned discussion over their fate often ignores the nuances of the whales who, after living their entire lives in captivity, have been closely studied by the caretakers who interact with them daily.

After the national authorities prevented the export of the belugas to China, the struggling amusement park near Niagara Falls where they are housed threatened to end their lives unless the federal government pays for the expense of keeping them alive. The nation’s marine resources official has denied that ultimatum, placing the thirty whales in an dangerously unstable situation.

Intelligent Marine Mammals

Scientists say that beluga whales’ neuroanatomy, along with their sound replication, intellectual tasks and social skills suggest they are remarkably smart creatures – something a former trainer discovered directly.

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

“Developing those connections over time takes a lot of dedication 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 wonderful and fulfilling.”

Burgess knew the whales were highly intelligent, but she says she was nonetheless amazed by the subtleties and unique traits in their dispositions. She cultivated a particular love for Eve and Cleopatra with contrasting temperaments.

“Eve selected me. The other demanded work,” she said. “They transformed the way I understand connection.”

Public Concerns and Facility Decline

Her interaction with the whales progressed against a backdrop of increasing societal concern to their captivity.

During her time at the attraction, multiple belugas and the park’s one orca, Kiska, died. In total, 19 belugas have died at the park since recent years, a number which the facility attributes to expected lifespan, but which activists say indicates the substandard environment in which they were maintained.

The facility did not admit visitors to the public over the summer, but Burgess says she witnessed firsthand results of the shutdown. “Concrete is breaking off from the pools because they’re degrading and not being maintained. The whales are exploratory and so they grab fragments and swim around with chunks in their mouth. It’s distressing to see.”

The facility did not respond to a request for comment, but earlier claimed: “The whales … get far better veterinary services and around the clock supervision than any human in the United Kingdom, or anywhere else.”

Uncertain Future and Proposed Solutions

Burgess was terminated from the park in the spring following the passing of Eos, an ailing beluga the employees had to put down. She said the facility thought information of the incident were shared to the press and she was let go shortly thereafter.

The ambiguity over the whales’ future has left her and current and former trainers in anguish. She says the park’s ultimatum to end the lives of its whales is a leverage tool and is a “logistically impossible” endeavor, adding any efforts to humanely kill even a one beluga would require “considerable manpower”, trucks and heavy equipment.

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

Burgess backs calls for the whales to be taken immediately from the park, with its crumbling tanks and shrinking team.

In the autumn, the nation’s government official denied a proposal to transfer the whales to China.

“Granting the proposal would have meant a ongoing existence in captivity and a return to performance for audiences,” the minister wrote. “As the public, we know that whales are meant for the sea, not in pools for our enjoyment. I could not in good conscience authorize an transfer that would continue the situation these belugas have experienced.”

But the former trainer said the official’s statements reflect a wider misunderstanding of the circumstances of living conditions for belugas born in captivity.

“The public needs to grasp these are whales that have lived entirely in confinement and they will need ongoing assistance for the rest of their years,” she said. “People just don’t realize that it’s not as easy as saying ‘shut it down’.”

Alternative Habitat and Ongoing Debate

As authorities struggle to find a resolution, ideas have emerged, some of which have questionable practicality. A suggested plan called for the belugas to be let go into the open waters of northern regions – where whales are a primary resource of food for Inuit communities.

A suggested protected area in the region of Nova Scotia, which now received official endorsement, has proven contentious. The planned facility, which includes a large area of penned in ocean, remains undeveloped. Advocates remain optimistic that it could eventually represent a permanent answer for some of the whales.

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

Some experts say the prospect of a protected habitat represents a changing attitudes away from captive facilities and could represent a viable plan in the coming months.

An official, leader of the initiative, said the site will replicate the mental engagement and diet the whales get from caretakers, albeit in a significantly bigger space. He said after the medical condition of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|