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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie is an charming small “sweetheart”. Orion – nicknamed “Onion Ring” – is a large but very loyal companion. Zephyr has “constant motion” and sways like a worm. Lillooet the beluga is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a gentle spirit.

A group of thirty captive marine mammals in a Canadian amusement park have been caught in a disagreement between a closed attraction, public officials and welfare campaigners.

But those working directly with the whales say the intense discussion over their future often overlooks the nuances of the whales who, after growing up in captivity, have been carefully observed by the caretakers who work with them regularly.

After the federal government blocked the transfer of the belugas to China, the controversial facility near Niagara Falls where they are held threatened to put them down unless the government funds the upkeep of their care. Canada’s marine resources official has denied that ultimatum, placing the 30 whales in an dangerously unstable situation.

Intelligent Sea Creatures

Experts say that beluga whales’ brain structure, along with their mimicry abilities, intellectual tasks and social skills indicate they are highly cognitive mammals – something Kristy Burgess learned personally.

She spent several years as a beluga trainer, a role that entailed earning the trust of the marine predators.

“Establishing those connections over time takes a lot of regularity and a lot of care. At the outset, they’re very unsure of you,” she said. “Over time, you gain mutual trust. And they start being more open with you. It’s just so magical and gratifying.”

The trainer knew the whales were very smart, but she says she was nevertheless astounded by the nuances and quirks in their personalities. She formed a particular love for two female belugas with different personalities.

“Eve selected me. Cleo required effort,” she said. “Both changed the way I understand bonding.”

Public Concerns and Deteriorating Conditions

Burgess’s relationship with the whales developed against a context of rising activist criticism to their enclosure.

During her time at the park, multiple belugas and the park’s one orca, Kiska, passed away. In all, nineteen belugas have died at the park since recent years, a statistic which the park ascribes to age-related causes, but which activists say points to the poor conditions in which they were kept.

The facility did not open to the visitors over the summer, but Burgess says she saw with her own eyes results of the cessation. “Concrete is falling apart from the enclosures because they’re degrading and not being repaired. The whales are inquisitive and so they take pieces and navigate with fragments in their mouth. It’s distressing to see.”

The park did not comment to a questionnaire, but previously claimed: “The whales … get far higher quality veterinary services and 24/7 supervision than any human in the UK, or elsewhere.”

Uncertain Future and Proposed Solutions

The former employee was terminated from the facility in recent months following the death of a beluga, an ailing beluga the employees had to put down. She said the park thought particulars of the death were disclosed to the press and she was let go soon after.

The lack of clarity over the whales’ fate has left Burgess and current and former trainers in anguish. She says the park’s ultimatum to euthanize its whales is a bargaining chip and is a “extremely difficult” undertaking, adding any plans to euthanize even a one beluga would require “immense manpower”, trucks and heavy equipment.

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

Burgess advocates for calls for the whales to be taken promptly from the park, with its failing enclosures and shrinking team.

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

“Allowing the proposal would have meant a perpetual existence in enclosure and a reversion to public entertainment,” the official stated. “As the public, we know that whales should be in the wild, not in tanks for our amusement. I could not in good conscience permit an transfer that would continue the situation these belugas have suffered.”

But Burgess said the official’s statements indicate a more general misunderstanding of the realities of living conditions for belugas raised in confinement.

“The public needs to realize these are whales that have spent their whole lives in enclosed habitats and they will need human care for the rest of their years,” she said. “Many just don’t realize that it’s not as straightforward as saying ‘shut it down’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Continuing Discussion

As officials struggle to find a solution, suggestions have emerged, some of which have little basis in reality. One proposal called for the belugas to be released into the open waters of northern regions – where whales are a key source of nourishment for Inuit communities.

A proposed protected area in the province of eastern Canada, which recently received government approval, has been most controversial. The future facility, which includes 100 acres of penned in ocean, doesn’t yet exist. Advocates remain hopeful that it could ultimately represent a long term solution for a number of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among staff she’s spoken with, there is “no trust there” about what she said is “simply an trial” in the whales’ fate.

Different voices say the idea of a protected habitat reflects a broader global shift away from zoos and aquariums and could represent a feasible plan in the coming months.

Charles Vinick, director of the sanctuary project, said the site will replicate the intellectual stimulation and nutrition the whales receive from specialists, albeit in a more expansive space. He said after the well-being of whales is completely examined, which could take months|an extended period|