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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie is an charming little “ham sandwich”. The whale Orion – called “Onion Ring” – is a sizeable but very loyal friend. Zephyr has “ants in his pants” and wiggles like a wiggly creature. Lillooet the beluga is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a gentle spirit.

A group of thirty enclosed beluga whales in a Canada-based entertainment facility have been entangled in a struggle between a shuttered park, local and national governments and advocacy groups.

But those working directly with the whales say the intense debate over their future often overlooks the complexities of the whales who, after living their entire lives in confinement, have been closely studied by the caretakers who work with them regularly.

After the national authorities blocked the export of the belugas to China, the embattled attraction near Niagara Falls where they are held warned to end their lives unless the federal government funds the expense of keeping them alive. The nation’s fisheries minister has refused that ultimatum, placing the 30 whales in an increasingly precarious situation.

Intelligent Marine Mammals

Experts say that belugas’ brain structure, along with their vocal imitation skills, problem solving and group interactions suggest they are remarkably smart mammals – something a former trainer learned first-hand.

She spent three years as a whale caretaker, a position that involved gaining confidence of the sea creatures.

“Developing 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. “In time, you gain mutual trust. And they start being more vulnerable with you. It’s just so wonderful and fulfilling.”

Burgess knew the whales were highly intelligent, but she says she was nevertheless amazed by the details and idiosyncrasies in their personalities. She cultivated a particular love for a pair of whales with contrasting personalities.

“Eve chose me. Cleo demanded work,” she said. “Both altered the way I view relationships.”

Public Concerns and Facility Decline

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

During her tenure at the park, multiple belugas and the park’s single killer whale, Kiska, died. In all, nineteen belugas have died at the park since recent years, a toll which the park ascribes to expected lifespan, but which advocates say reflects the substandard environment in which they were maintained.

The park did not operate to the guests over the summer, but Burgess says she observed directly effects of the cessation. “Structural materials is falling apart from the tanks because they’re falling apart and not being fixed. The whales are exploratory and so they pick it up and swim around with chunks in their jaws. It’s heartbreaking to see.”

The facility did not comment to a questionnaire, but previously claimed: “The whales … obtain far higher quality health care and 24/7 care than any person in the UK, or anywhere else.”

Uncertain Future and Proposed Solutions

The former employee was terminated from the facility in recent months following the passing of Eos, an ailing beluga the park staff had to humanely kill. She said the facility thought particulars of the death were shared to the press and she was released soon after.

The ambiguity over the whales’ future has left her and other caretakers in distress. She says the facility’s ultimatum to end the lives of its whales is a leverage tool and is a “practically unfeasible” undertaking, adding any plans to put down even a individual beluga would require “considerable manpower”, vehicles and machinery.

“It’s impossible in hell the caretakers would ever do it,” she said.

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

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

“To approve the proposal would have meant a continued situation in confinement and a return to display for amusement,” the minister commented. “As Canadians, we know that whales are meant for the sea, not in pools for our enjoyment. I could not in ethical standing permit an transfer that would prolong the conditions these belugas have experienced.”

But Burgess said the official’s statements indicate a wider incorrect perception of the circumstances of living conditions for belugas raised in confinement.

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

Sanctuary Proposal and Ongoing Debate

As authorities struggle to find a resolution, suggestions have surfaced, some of which have little basis in reality. 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 protected area in the region of eastern Canada, which has received official endorsement, has shown to be contentious. The planned site, which includes a large area of protected cove, is not yet built. Supporters remain hopeful that it could in time represent a sustainable solution for some of the whales.

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

Some experts say the prospect of a sanctuary represents a broader global shift away from animal displays and could represent a workable solution in the short term.

Charles Vinick, head of the sanctuary project, said the location will mimic the intellectual stimulation and nutrition the whales receive from caretakers, albeit in a significantly bigger area. He said after the health of whales is completely examined, which could take months|an extended period|