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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie is an charming small “playful character”. The whale Orion – nicknamed “Onion” – is a sizeable but very loyal companion. Zephyr has “constant motion” and moves like a worm. Lillooet is the “most affectionate” with a heart of gold.

A group of thirty captive beluga whales in a Canadian amusement park have been caught in a disagreement between a defunct facility, local and national governments and welfare campaigners.

But those closest to the whales say the heated discussion over their destiny often ignores the nuances of the whales who, after living their entire lives in confinement, have been carefully observed by the caretakers who see them each day.

After the federal government prevented the transfer of the belugas to a foreign facility, the struggling attraction near Niagara Falls where they are housed threatened to euthanize them unless the government pays for the upkeep of keeping them alive. The nation’s fisheries minister has rejected that demand, placing the thirty whales in an ever more uncertain position.

Highly Cognitive Marine Mammals

Experts say that beluga whales’ neural makeup, along with their vocal imitation skills, cognitive challenges and communal behavior indicate they are remarkably smart creatures – something a former trainer observed first-hand.

She spent several years as a whale caretaker, a position that involved earning the trust of the aquatic animals.

“Establishing those connections over time takes a lot of dedication and a lot of affection. At the beginning, 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 magical and rewarding.”

Burgess knew the whales were very smart, but she says she was even so astounded by the details and unique traits in their characters. She developed a special affection for a pair of whales with contrasting natures.

“Eve selected me. The other made me earn it,” she said. “Each changed the way I understand bonding.”

Growing Opposition and Facility Decline

Burgess’s interaction with the whales progressed against a background of growing public opposition to their confinement.

During her three years at the facility, seven belugas and the park’s single killer whale, the orca, succumbed. In total, nineteen belugas have died at the park since recent years, a toll which the facility attributes to age-related causes, but which advocates say points to the inadequate care in which they were maintained.

The facility did not operate to the guests over the summer, but the former trainer says she saw with her own eyes effects of the cessation. “Concrete is falling apart from the tanks because they’re falling apart and not being fixed. The whales are exploratory and so they grab fragments and swim around with fragments in their mouth. It’s distressing to see.”

The facility did not comment to a request for comment, but previously stated: “The whales … obtain far superior veterinary services and constant care than any human in the UK, or elsewhere.”

Fate in Limbo and Potential Resolutions

Burgess was terminated from the facility in recent months following the passing of a beluga, an unwell beluga the park staff had to humanely kill. She said the facility suspected details of the death were leaked to the news outlets and she was fired soon after.

The lack of clarity over the whales’ fate has left her and current and former trainers in distress. She says the park’s ultimatum to euthanize its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “practically unfeasible” task, adding any plans to euthanize even a single beluga would require “immense personnel”, trucks and specialized tools.

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

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

In late September, Canada’s fisheries minister turned down a proposal to transfer the whales to China.

“Allowing the application would have meant a ongoing life in confinement and a return to public entertainment,” the official stated. “As Canadians, we know that marine mammals are meant for the sea, not in pools for our amusement. I could not in ethical standing permit an export that would continue the situation these belugas have suffered.”

But Burgess said the official’s remarks reveal a wider incorrect perception of the circumstances of life for belugas living their whole lives in enclosures.

“The people needs to understand these are whales that have existed solely in confinement and they will need ongoing assistance for the rest of their years,” she said. “People just don’t comprehend that it’s not as simple as saying ‘shut it down’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Continuing Discussion

As authorities struggle to find a answer, proposals have emerged, some of which have questionable practicality. An idea called for the belugas to be released into the wilds of the Arctic – where whales are a primary resource of nourishment for local populations.

A proposed sanctuary in the province of eastern Canada, which has received government approval, has proven contentious. The prospective site, which includes a large area of penned in ocean, remains undeveloped. Supporters remain optimistic that it could ultimately represent a sustainable answer for some of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among trainers she’s discussed with, there is “no trust there” about what she said is “merely an untested concept” in the whales’ fate.

Others say the possibility of a refuge indicates a changing attitudes away from zoos and aquariums and could represent a workable solution in the coming months.

Charles Vinick, head of the initiative, said the location will replicate the intellectual stimulation and diet the whales receive from trainers, albeit in a more expansive environment. He said after the medical condition of whales is fully assessed, which could take months|an extended period|