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Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie Botts is an charming small “playful character”. Orion – called “Onion Ring” – is a large but very loyal companion. Zephyr has “endless energy” and sways like a wiggly creature. Lillooet the beluga is the “most affectionate” with a heart of gold.

A group of thirty captive marine mammals in a Canadian entertainment facility have become pawns in a tussle between a shuttered park, local and national governments and animal rights activists.

But those most familiar with the whales say the heated discussion over their fate often ignores the nuances of the whales who, after spending their lives in enclosed habitats, have been carefully observed by the caretakers who interact with them daily.

After the Canadian government disallowed the export of the belugas to a foreign facility, the struggling attraction near Niagara Falls where they are kept stated it would consider to put them down unless the government pays for the upkeep of their care. Canada’s fisheries minister has rejected that request, placing the thirty whales in an dangerously unstable circumstance.

Highly Cognitive Sea Creatures

Experts say that belugas’ neural makeup, along with their sound replication, cognitive challenges and social skills suggest they are remarkably smart animals – something one caretaker discovered first-hand.

Burgess spent several years as a whale caretaker, a position that involved building relationships of the marine predators.

“Developing those relationships over time takes a lot of dedication and a lot of love. At the beginning, they’re very wary of you,” she said. “Over time, you gain reciprocal understanding. And they start being more trusting with you. It’s just so extraordinary and gratifying.”

Burgess knew the whales were exceptionally cognitive, but she says she was nonetheless amazed by the subtleties and idiosyncrasies in their characters. She formed a particular love for a pair of whales with different personalities.

“One whale selected me. The other required effort,” she said. “They altered the way I view connection.”

Growing Opposition and Facility Decline

Her relationship with the whales progressed against a context of increasing societal concern to their captivity.

During her time at the park, seven belugas and the park’s single orca, the orca, died. In total, nineteen belugas have perished at the park since recent years, a statistic which the park links to natural mortality, but which campaigners say points to the substandard environment in which they were kept.

The facility did not admit visitors to the public over the summer, but Burgess says she witnessed firsthand consequences of the closure. “Concrete is breaking off from the tanks because they’re degrading and not being fixed. The whales are curious and so they take pieces and swim around with chunks in their mouth. It’s upsetting to see.”

The park did not comment to a request for comment, but in the past stated: “The whales … get far better veterinary services and 24/7 care than any person in the Britain, or elsewhere.”

Fate in Limbo and Potential Resolutions

The former employee was dismissed from the facility in early March following the death of a beluga, an sick beluga the park staff had to put down. She said the park thought information of the incident were shared to the media and she was fired not long after.

The ambiguity over the whales’ fate has left Burgess and current and former trainers in distress. She says the facility’s warning to end the lives of its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “logistically impossible” endeavor, adding any plans to put down even a individual beluga would require “immense staff”, trucks and heavy equipment.

“There’s no way in hell the employees would ever do it,” she said.

Burgess backs calls for the whales to be taken promptly from the facility, with its crumbling tanks and reduced personnel.

In late September, Canada’s government official rejected a bid to transfer the whales to an overseas location.

“Granting the proposal would have meant a ongoing existence in captivity and a reversion to display for amusement,” the official stated. “As Canadians, we know that marine mammals should be in the sea, not in pools for our enjoyment. I could not in ethical standing authorize an transfer that would prolong the conditions these belugas have suffered.”

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

“The society needs to understand these are whales that have lived entirely in captivity and they will need human care for the remainder of their lives,” she said. “People just don’t realize that it’s not as easy as saying ‘end operations’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Continuing Discussion

As authorities attempt to find a answer, proposals have surfaced, some of which have questionable practicality. One proposal called for the belugas to be freed into the open waters of northern regions – where whales are a important part of nourishment for local populations.

A planned sanctuary in the region of Nova Scotia, which recently received government approval, has been contentious. The prospective location, which includes 100 acres of protected cove, doesn’t yet exist. Proponents remain optimistic that it could in time represent a permanent solution for eight of the whales.

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

Some experts say the possibility of a protected habitat reflects a changing attitudes away from captive facilities and could represent a viable approach in the near future.

The project lead, head of the initiative, said the location will mimic the cognitive activities and nutrition the whales receive from caretakers, albeit in a more expansive area. He said after the health of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|