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Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie Botts is an cute little “sweetheart”. Orion – nicknamed “Onion Ring” – is a big but fiercely protective companion. Zephyr has “constant motion” and sways like a wiggly creature. Lillooet the beluga is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a gentle spirit.

Thirty captive marine mammals in a Canada-based amusement park have been caught in a tussle between a defunct facility, public officials and animal rights activists.

But those working directly with the whales say the impassioned debate over their fate often overlooks the individual traits of the whales who, after growing up in enclosed habitats, have been closely studied by the caretakers who work with them regularly.

After the federal government disallowed the export of the belugas to a foreign facility, the struggling attraction near Niagara Falls where they are kept warned to put them down unless the authorities covers the cost of keeping them alive. Canada’s marine resources official has refused that demand, placing the thirty whales in an dangerously unstable position.

Intelligent Sea Creatures

Scientists say that beluga whales’ neural makeup, along with their vocal imitation skills, problem solving and group interactions indicate they are highly cognitive animals – something Kristy Burgess learned personally.

Burgess spent a significant period as a beluga trainer, a job that entailed gaining confidence of the aquatic animals.

“Establishing those relationships over time takes a lot of consistency and a lot of affection. At the outset, they’re very wary of you,” she said. “In time, you gain reciprocal understanding. And they start being more trusting with you. It’s just so magical and rewarding.”

The trainer knew the whales were exceptionally cognitive, but she says she was nevertheless astounded by the details and idiosyncrasies in their personalities. She cultivated a special affection for Eve and Cleopatra with opposing temperaments.

“Eve accepted me. The other made me earn it,” she said. “They altered the way I understand connection.”

Public Concerns and Deteriorating Conditions

Her relationship with the whales developed against a backdrop of increasing societal concern to their captivity.

During her three years at the facility, seven belugas and the park’s one killer whale, the orca, succumbed. In total, 19 belugas have perished at the park since recent years, a number which the park links to age-related causes, but which activists say reflects the substandard environment in which they were maintained.

The facility did not operate to the visitors over the summer, but Burgess says she witnessed firsthand consequences of the cessation. “Concrete is deteriorating from the enclosures because they’re falling apart and not being maintained. The whales are exploratory and so they take pieces and navigate with chunks in their jaws. It’s upsetting to see.”

The park did not reply to a questionnaire, but previously claimed: “The whales … receive far higher quality veterinary services and constant care than any individual in the Britain, or other places.”

Uncertain Future and Potential Resolutions

Burgess was terminated from the park in early March following the demise of a beluga, an ailing beluga the employees had to euthanize. She said the park suspected particulars of the death were disclosed to the press and she was fired shortly thereafter.

The ambiguity over the whales’ fate has left her and other caretakers in despair. She says the park’s threat to euthanize its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “extremely difficult” endeavor, adding any attempts to put down even a single beluga would require “significant personnel”, equipment and machinery.

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

Burgess advocates for demands for the whales to be transferred right away from the park, with its crumbling tanks and dwindling staff.

In late September, Canada’s fisheries minister denied a proposal to export the whales to an overseas location.

“Allowing the request would have meant a continued situation in captivity and a return to public entertainment,” the minister wrote. “As the public, we know that whales are meant for the wild, not in tanks for our enjoyment. I could not in clear conscience permit an export that would prolong the treatment these belugas have experienced.”

But Burgess said the minister’s statements reflect a wider misunderstanding of the circumstances of living conditions for belugas raised in confinement.

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

Alternative Habitat and Ongoing Debate

As officials work to find a solution, suggestions have emerged, some of which have questionable practicality. One proposal called for the belugas to be let go into the natural habitat of Canada’s north – where whales are a primary resource of food for local populations.

A suggested refuge in the province of eastern Canada, which has received regulatory clearance, has shown to be contentious. The prospective location, which includes 100 acres of protected cove, is not yet built. Supporters remain optimistic that it could eventually represent a long term solution for some of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among staff she’s consulted, there is “doubts there” about what she said is “simply an experiment” in the whales’ well-being.

Some experts say the prospect of a sanctuary represents a broader global shift away from zoos and aquariums and could represent a viable approach in the short term.

The project lead, director of the initiative, said the facility will simulate the intellectual stimulation and feeding regimen the whales obtain from trainers, albeit in a more expansive space. He said after the well-being of whales is completely examined, which could take months|an extended period|