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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie Botts is an charming little “sweetheart”. The whale Orion – called “Onion” – is a sizeable but guardian-like companion. Zephyr has “ants in his pants” and sways like a wiggly creature. Lillooet is the “loving presence” with a kind nature.

Thirty captive marine mammals in a Canadian entertainment facility have been entangled in a disagreement between a shuttered park, government authorities and welfare campaigners.

But those most familiar with the whales say the impassioned discussion over their fate often overlooks the nuances of the whales who, after growing up in captivity, have been closely studied by the people who work with them regularly.

After the federal government disallowed the transfer of the belugas to China, the struggling facility near Niagara Falls where they are held warned to end their lives unless the government pays for the cost of keeping them alive. Canada’s fisheries minister has denied that ultimatum, placing the 30 whales in an dangerously unstable position.

Highly Cognitive Marine Mammals

Scientists say that beluga whales’ neural makeup, along with their mimicry abilities, cognitive challenges and social skills suggest they are deeply intelligent mammals – something one caretaker observed directly.

Burgess spent a significant period as a beluga trainer, a job that entailed earning the trust of the marine predators.

“Establishing those relationships over time takes a lot of regularity and a lot of love. At the start, they’re very wary of you,” she said. “Eventually, you gain reciprocal understanding. And they start being more vulnerable with you. It’s just so wonderful and rewarding.”

The trainer knew the whales were exceptionally cognitive, but she says she was nevertheless astounded by the nuances and quirks in their personalities. She developed a deep bond for a pair of whales with opposing natures.

“One whale chose me. Cleo made me earn it,” she said. “They altered the way I view connection.”

Growing Opposition and Deteriorating Conditions

Burgess’s relationship with the whales evolved against a context of growing public opposition to their enclosure.

During her time at the park, multiple belugas and the park’s single orca, Kiska, passed away. In total, nineteen belugas have died at the park since recent years, a toll which the facility links to age-related causes, but which campaigners say indicates the substandard environment in which they were housed.

The facility did not open to the visitors over the summer, but the former trainer says she saw with her own eyes effects of the shutdown. “Structural materials is breaking off from the enclosures because they’re degrading and not being repaired. The whales are exploratory and so they take pieces and move about with chunks in their mouth. It’s upsetting to see.”

The park did not reply to a questionnaire, but previously asserted: “The whales … get far better veterinary services and 24/7 supervision than any human in the United Kingdom, or other places.”

Fate in Limbo and Potential Resolutions

Burgess was fired from the park in recent months following the passing of a beluga, an unwell beluga the park staff had to humanely kill. She said the facility suspected information of the incident were leaked to the press and she was released shortly thereafter.

The ambiguity over the whales’ outcome 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 “practically unfeasible” endeavor, adding any plans to euthanize even a one beluga would require “considerable staff”, trucks and specialized tools.

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

She advocates for requests for the whales to be taken right away from the park, with its failing enclosures and dwindling staff.

In recent months, the nation’s fisheries minister denied a bid to export the whales to China.

“To approve the application would have meant a ongoing life in captivity and a reversion to display for amusement,” the minister commented. “As the public, we know that marine mammals should be in the ocean, not in pools for our enjoyment. I could not in clear conscience authorize an relocation that would perpetuate the conditions these belugas have endured.”

But the former trainer said the official’s statements reveal a wider misunderstanding of the circumstances of existence for belugas living their whole lives in enclosures.

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

Alternative Habitat and Ongoing Debate

As decision makers attempt to find a solution, suggestions have been put forward, some of which have questionable practicality. One proposal called for the belugas to be let go into the natural habitat of the Arctic – where whales are a key source of food for local populations.

A planned protected area in the province of Nova Scotia, which has received official endorsement, has proven most controversial. The planned location, which includes a large area of penned in ocean, is not yet built. Advocates remain hopeful that it could in time represent a sustainable solution for some of the whales.

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

Different voices say the prospect of a refuge represents a broader global shift away from animal displays and could represent a feasible approach in the short term.

Charles Vinick, head of the initiative, said the facility will simulate the cognitive activities and diet the whales obtain from trainers, albeit in a significantly bigger space. He said after the well-being of whales is fully assessed, which could take months|an extended period|