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Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie Botts is an cute little “sweetheart”. The whale Orion – nicknamed “Onion Ring” – is a big but very loyal friend. Zephyr has “ants in his pants” and sways like a worm. Lillooet is the “most affectionate” with a kind nature.

A group of thirty enclosed beluga whales in a Canadian amusement park have been caught in a disagreement between a closed attraction, local and national governments and advocacy groups.

But those working directly with the whales say the impassioned debate over their destiny often overlooks the complexities of the whales who, after spending their lives in captivity, have been thoroughly researched by the people who interact with them daily.

After the national authorities blocked the export of the belugas to a foreign facility, the struggling amusement park near Niagara Falls where they are held threatened to euthanize them unless the government pays for the expense of keeping them alive. The nation’s fisheries minister has denied that request, placing the 30 whales in an ever more uncertain position.

Intelligent Marine Mammals

Scientists say that belugas’ brain structure, along with their sound replication, cognitive challenges and social skills suggest they are remarkably smart mammals – something Kristy Burgess observed personally.

She spent a significant period as a beluga trainer, a position that required building relationships of the aquatic animals.

“Building up those relationships over time takes a lot of consistency and a lot of affection. At the start, they’re very cautious of you,” she said. “In time, you gain mutual trust. And they start being more open with you. It’s just so magical and rewarding.”

The trainer knew the whales were exceptionally cognitive, but she says she was even so amazed by the nuances and quirks in their personalities. She cultivated a deep bond for Eve and Cleopatra with contrasting personalities.

“One whale chose me. Cleo made me earn it,” she said. “Each altered the way I perceive bonding.”

Growing Opposition and Deteriorating Conditions

Her connection with the whales progressed against a backdrop of increasing societal concern to their captivity.

During her tenure at the park, multiple belugas and the park’s single killer whale, the orca, died. In total, nineteen belugas have perished at the park since recent years, a statistic which the facility attributes to natural mortality, but which campaigners say reflects the poor conditions in which they were maintained.

The park did not operate to the visitors over the summer, but Burgess says she saw with her own eyes consequences of the shutdown. “Concrete is deteriorating from the enclosures because they’re degrading and not being maintained. The whales are exploratory and so they grab fragments and move about with chunks in their mouth. It’s distressing to see.”

The facility did not reply to a questionnaire, but in the past stated: “The whales … receive far superior medical attention and 24/7 attention than any human in the Britain, or other places.”

Fate in Limbo and Proposed Solutions

Burgess was fired from the facility in early March following the passing of Eos, an sick beluga the park staff had to euthanize. She said the facility suspected particulars of the death were shared to the press and she was released not long after.

The uncertainty over the whales’ outcome has left her and current and former trainers in distress. She says the park’s threat to euthanize its whales is a bargaining chip and is a “extremely difficult” task, adding any efforts to euthanize even a individual beluga would require “significant staff”, trucks and heavy equipment.

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

She advocates for requests for the whales to be transferred immediately from the park, with its deteriorating pools and reduced personnel.

In late September, the nation’s government official rejected a request to export the whales to China.

“Granting the application would have meant a perpetual situation in enclosure and a return to display for amusement,” the official commented. “As society, we know that belugas are meant for the ocean, not in enclosures for our enjoyment. I could not in ethical standing authorize an relocation that would prolong the treatment these belugas have suffered.”

But the former trainer said the minister’s comments indicate a more general lack of awareness of the circumstances of living conditions for belugas born in captivity.

“The society needs to realize these are whales that have existed solely in enclosed habitats and they will need constant supervision for the remainder of their lives,” she said. “Many just don’t understand that it’s not as easy as saying ‘end operations’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Ongoing Debate

As authorities struggle to find a resolution, ideas have emerged, some of which have little basis in reality. A suggested plan called for the belugas to be freed into the natural habitat of Canada’s north – where whales are a primary resource of nourishment for local populations.

A proposed protected area in the province of Nova Scotia, which has received regulatory clearance, has proven most controversial. The future facility, which includes extensive space of protected cove, doesn’t yet exist. Advocates remain positive that it could ultimately represent a permanent solution for eight of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among trainers she’s spoken with, there is “no trust there” about what she said is “simply an untested concept” in the whales’ future.

Some experts say the possibility of a protected habitat represents a broader global shift away from zoos and aquariums and could represent a feasible plan in the near future.

An official, head of the sanctuary project, said the site will mimic the intellectual stimulation and nutrition the whales get from caretakers, albeit in a significantly bigger space. He said after the medical condition of whales is completely examined, which could take months|an extended period|