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Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie Botts is an adorable small “sweetheart”. The whale Orion – called “Onion Ring” – is a large but fiercely protective companion. Zephyr has “ants in his pants” and moves like a wiggly creature. Lillooet is the “loving presence” with a heart of gold.

A group of thirty captive marine mammals in a Canada-based amusement park have been entangled in a struggle between a defunct facility, local and national governments and animal rights activists.

But those most familiar with the whales say the heated debate over their destiny often fails to consider the nuances of the whales who, after growing up in enclosed habitats, have been closely studied by the people who work with them regularly.

After the Canadian government blocked the transfer of the belugas to China, the controversial attraction near Niagara Falls where they are kept warned to put them down unless the authorities pays for the expense of keeping them alive. Canada’s marine resources official has rejected that ultimatum, placing the 30 whales in an ever more uncertain circumstance.

Highly Cognitive Marine Mammals

Experts say that beluga whales’ neural makeup, along with their vocal imitation skills, problem solving and group interactions indicate they are deeply intelligent animals – something Kristy Burgess learned first-hand.

She spent several years as a whale caretaker, a job that required gaining confidence of the aquatic animals.

“Establishing those connections over time takes a lot of dedication and a lot of love. At the start, they’re very wary of you,” she said. “Eventually, you gain mutual trust. And they start being more trusting with you. It’s just so wonderful and rewarding.”

Burgess knew the whales were very smart, but she says she was nonetheless amazed by the nuances and quirks in their personalities. She developed a special affection for a pair of whales with contrasting personalities.

“Eve chose me. Cleo demanded work,” she said. “Both transformed the way I understand bonding.”

Growing Opposition and Facility Decline

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

During her tenure at the attraction, seven belugas and the park’s one killer whale, Kiska, succumbed. In total, 19 belugas have died at the park since recent years, a number which the facility links to expected lifespan, but which activists say indicates the substandard environment in which they were housed.

The facility did not admit visitors to the public over the summer, but Burgess says she observed directly results of the shutdown. “Structural materials is breaking off from the enclosures because they’re in disrepair and not being maintained. The whales are inquisitive and so they take pieces and navigate with pieces in their jaws. It’s heartbreaking to see.”

The facility did not comment to a questionnaire, but earlier asserted: “The whales … obtain far superior veterinary services and constant attention than any human in the United Kingdom, or other places.”

Uncertain Future and Potential Resolutions

Burgess was fired from the facility in recent months following the death of a beluga, an unwell beluga the employees had to humanely kill. She said the park believed particulars of the death were shared to the news outlets and she was let go soon after.

The lack of clarity over the whales’ outcome has left Burgess and staff members in anguish. She says the park’s threat to euthanize its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “extremely difficult” undertaking, adding any plans to put down even a one beluga would require “considerable personnel”, equipment and heavy equipment.

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

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

In late September, the nation’s government official turned down a request to send the whales to an overseas location.

“To approve the application would have meant a perpetual situation in enclosure and a return to public entertainment,” the minister wrote. “As society, we know that marine mammals should be in the ocean, not in enclosures for our amusement. I could not in clear conscience permit an relocation that would prolong the situation these belugas have experienced.”

But Burgess said the official’s remarks reveal a more general incorrect perception of the realities of living conditions for belugas raised in confinement.

“The public needs to understand these are whales that have existed solely in captivity and they will need human care for the rest of their years,” she said. “The public just don’t realize that it’s not as easy as saying ‘end operations’.”

Alternative Habitat and Continuing Discussion

As decision makers struggle to find a solution, suggestions have emerged, some of which have questionable practicality. A suggested plan called for the belugas to be freed into the natural habitat of northern regions – where whales are a key source of sustenance for local populations.

A proposed protected area in the region of eastern Canada, which recently received government approval, has proven contentious. The prospective location, which includes a large area of enclosed sea water, remains undeveloped. Supporters remain optimistic that it could eventually represent a sustainable answer for some of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among trainers she’s spoken with, there is “doubts there” about what she said is “only an experiment” in the whales’ well-being.

Others say the prospect of a refuge indicates a worldwide trend away from animal displays and could represent a workable plan in the short term.

The project lead, director of the plan, said the site will mimic the cognitive activities and nutrition the whales receive from caretakers, albeit in a more expansive area. He said after the medical condition of whales is completely examined, which could take months|an extended period|