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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie Botts is an cute little “playful character”. The whale Orion – nicknamed “Onion Ring” – is a sizeable but guardian-like companion. Another whale, Zephyr has “endless energy” and moves like a worm. Lillooet is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a heart of gold.

A group of thirty enclosed beluga whales in a Canadian amusement park have become pawns in a tussle between a shuttered park, public officials and advocacy groups.

But those working directly with the whales say the heated debate over their destiny often overlooks the nuances of the whales who, after spending their lives in captivity, have been closely studied by the humans who interact with them daily.

After the Canadian government prevented the sale of the belugas to China, the embattled facility near the famous falls where they are kept stated it would consider to euthanize them unless the government funds the upkeep of keeping them alive. Canada’s fisheries minister has refused that request, placing the 30 whales in an dangerously unstable situation.

Highly Cognitive Marine Mammals

Experts say that beluga whales’ neuroanatomy, along with their sound replication, problem solving and communal behavior suggest they are deeply intelligent mammals – something one caretaker discovered directly.

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

“Establishing those connections over time takes a lot of consistency and a lot of love. At the start, they’re very unsure of you,” she said. “Eventually, you gain reciprocal understanding. And they start being more open with you. It’s just so extraordinary and gratifying.”

Burgess knew the whales were exceptionally cognitive, but she says she was nevertheless amazed by the details and unique traits in their personalities. She cultivated a particular love for Eve and Cleopatra with contrasting temperaments.

“Eve chose me. Cleo required effort,” she said. “Both transformed the way I perceive bonding.”

Growing Opposition and Deteriorating Conditions

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

During her time at the attraction, multiple belugas and the park’s single orca, Kiska, died. In all, 19 belugas have perished at the park since recent years, a statistic which the facility attributes to expected lifespan, but which activists say points to the poor conditions in which they were maintained.

The facility did not admit visitors to the public over the recent season, but the former trainer says she observed directly results of the closure. “Structural materials is falling apart from the enclosures because they’re in disrepair and not being fixed. The whales are exploratory and so they take pieces and move about with fragments in their mouth. It’s distressing to see.”

The park did not comment to a request for comment, but in the past claimed: “The whales … receive far superior veterinary services and 24/7 attention than any human in the United Kingdom, or anywhere else.”

Fate in Limbo and Potential Resolutions

The former employee was terminated from the park in recent months following the demise of a beluga, an unwell beluga the park staff had to put down. She said the facility suspected information of the death were shared to the press and she was let go shortly thereafter.

The uncertainty over the whales’ future has left her and current and former trainers in despair. She says the facility’s ultimatum to end the lives of its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “logistically impossible” endeavor, adding any plans to euthanize even a individual beluga would require “considerable staff”, vehicles and heavy equipment.

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

She advocates for demands for the whales to be transferred right away from the park, with its failing enclosures and shrinking team.

In late September, the nation’s fisheries minister rejected a proposal to transfer the whales to China.

“To approve the request would have meant a perpetual life in captivity and a return to performance for audiences,” the official commented. “As Canadians, we know that marine mammals are meant for the ocean, not in enclosures for our entertainment. I could not in ethical standing permit an transfer that would perpetuate the conditions these belugas have endured.”

But the former trainer said the minister’s remarks reveal a more general incorrect perception of the facts of living conditions for belugas born in captivity.

“The public needs to grasp these are whales that have lived entirely in captivity and they will need ongoing assistance for the remainder of their lives,” she said. “People just don’t comprehend that it’s not as straightforward as saying ‘close it down’.”

Alternative Habitat and Ongoing Debate

As officials attempt to find a solution, ideas have been put forward, some of which have minimal feasibility. One proposal called for the belugas to be let go into the wilds of Canada’s north – where whales are a key source of sustenance for Inuit communities.

A proposed sanctuary in the region of Nova Scotia, which has received official endorsement, has been highly debated. The future site, which includes 100 acres of enclosed sea water, remains undeveloped. Advocates remain hopeful that it could eventually represent a sustainable resolution for some of the whales.

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

Others say the possibility of a protected habitat represents a worldwide trend away from zoos and aquariums and could represent a feasible solution in the short term.

The project lead, leader of the plan, said the facility will replicate the intellectual stimulation and feeding regimen the whales obtain from specialists, albeit in a much larger area. He said after the well-being of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|