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Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie is an cute small “sweetheart”. Orion – called “Onion Ring” – is a sizeable but guardian-like friend. Another whale, Zephyr has “ants in his pants” and moves like a wiggly creature. Lillooet the beluga is the “most affectionate” with a gentle spirit.

Thirty enclosed beluga whales in a Canadian amusement park have become pawns in a disagreement between a shuttered park, government authorities and advocacy groups.

But those working directly with the whales say the impassioned debate over their future often fails to consider the individual traits of the whales who, after spending their lives in enclosed habitats, have been thoroughly researched by the caretakers who see them each day.

After the federal government disallowed the transfer of the belugas to China, the struggling attraction near Niagara Falls where they are held warned to end their lives unless the government funds the expense of their survival. The nation’s fisheries minister has denied that demand, placing the thirty whales in an increasingly precarious circumstance.

Highly Cognitive Sea Creatures

Experts say that belugas’ neural makeup, along with their sound replication, cognitive challenges and social skills indicate they are deeply intelligent creatures – something Kristy Burgess discovered first-hand.

Burgess spent a significant period as a marine mammal specialist, a job that required building relationships of the marine predators.

“Building up those connections over time takes a lot of dedication and a lot of love. At the beginning, they’re very cautious of you,” she said. “Over time, you gain reciprocal understanding. And they start being more trusting with you. It’s just so wonderful and rewarding.”

Burgess knew the whales were exceptionally cognitive, but she says she was nevertheless surprised by the details and unique traits in their dispositions. She formed a special affection for a pair of whales with opposing personalities.

“Eve accepted me. Cleo required effort,” she said. “Each changed the way I perceive bonding.”

Growing Opposition and Facility Decline

Burgess’s interaction with the whales developed against a backdrop of rising activist criticism to their captivity.

During her tenure at the facility, seven belugas and the park’s single orca, the orca, died. In all, nineteen belugas have died at the park since recent years, a number which the park attributes to age-related causes, but which activists say points to the substandard environment in which they were kept.

The facility did not operate to the visitors over the summer, but Burgess says she observed directly effects of the cessation. “Structural materials is breaking off from the enclosures because they’re falling apart and not being repaired. The whales are inquisitive and so they grab fragments and move about with pieces in their mouth. It’s heartbreaking to see.”

The park did not reply to a request for comment, but earlier claimed: “The whales … obtain far better health care and around the clock supervision than any person in the UK, or anywhere else.”

Fate in Limbo and Proposed Solutions

The former employee was fired from the park in the spring following the demise of a beluga, an unwell beluga the park staff had to humanely kill. She said the park believed particulars of the death were disclosed to the press and she was let go soon after.

The ambiguity over the whales’ fate has left her and current and former trainers in distress. She says the park’s warning to kill its whales is a leverage tool and is a “practically unfeasible” task, adding any plans to put down even a single beluga would require “significant personnel”, equipment and specialized tools.

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

She backs demands for the whales to be transferred right away from the facility, with its deteriorating pools and reduced personnel.

In late September, Canada’s government official turned down a proposal to send the whales to China.

“Granting the proposal would have meant a perpetual situation in captivity and a reversion to display for amusement,” the official stated. “As society, we know that belugas are meant for the ocean, not in tanks for our enjoyment. I could not in good conscience authorize an relocation that would perpetuate the conditions these belugas have experienced.”

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

“The public needs to understand these are whales that have existed solely in enclosed habitats and they will need human care for the remainder of their lives,” she said. “People just don’t understand that it’s not as easy as saying ‘shut it down’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Ongoing Debate

As authorities work to find a answer, proposals have emerged, some of which have little basis in reality. An idea called for the belugas to be freed into the open waters of Canada’s north – where whales are a important part of nourishment for local populations.

A planned refuge in the region of Nova Scotia, which recently received official endorsement, has shown to be most controversial. The future site, which includes a large area of protected cove, remains undeveloped. Advocates remain positive that it could ultimately represent a permanent resolution for some of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among trainers she’s spoken with, there is “no trust there” about what she said is “only an untested concept” in the whales’ future.

Others say the prospect of a sanctuary reflects a worldwide trend away from zoos and aquariums and could represent a feasible solution in the near future.

An official, leader of the initiative, said the facility will mimic the cognitive activities and feeding regimen the whales receive from trainers, albeit in a significantly bigger environment. He said after the well-being of whales is fully assessed, which could take months|an extended period|