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Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie is an cute little “playful character”. The whale Orion – nicknamed “Onion” – is a big but guardian-like companion. Another whale, Zephyr has “ants in his pants” and sways like a worm. Lillooet the beluga is the “most affectionate” with a kind nature.

Thirty enclosed marine mammals in a Canada-based amusement park have become pawns in a tussle between a shuttered park, government authorities and advocacy groups.

But those working directly with the whales say the intense controversy over their future often overlooks the nuances of the whales who, after growing up in enclosed habitats, have been closely studied by the people who interact with them daily.

After the federal government prevented the sale of the belugas to a foreign facility, the embattled amusement park near Niagara Falls where they are housed stated it would consider to end their lives unless the federal government funds the cost of their survival. Canada’s fisheries minister has refused that demand, placing the thirty whales in an increasingly precarious position.

Intelligent Sea Creatures

Experts say that beluga whales’ brain structure, along with their vocal imitation skills, cognitive challenges and social skills suggest they are highly cognitive mammals – something Kristy Burgess learned first-hand.

Burgess spent several years as a marine mammal specialist, a position that required earning the trust of the sea creatures.

“Developing those bonds over time takes a lot of dedication and a lot of affection. At the outset, they’re very unsure of you,” she said. “Over time, you gain shared confidence. And they start being more open with you. It’s just so extraordinary and rewarding.”

The trainer knew the whales were highly intelligent, but she says she was nevertheless amazed by the details and idiosyncrasies in their characters. She developed a deep bond for a pair of whales with opposing temperaments.

“Eve accepted me. Cleo made me earn it,” she said. “Both changed the way I view relationships.”

Growing Opposition and Facility Decline

Her connection with the whales developed against a background of increasing societal concern to their captivity.

During her tenure at the facility, multiple belugas and the park’s single orca, Kiska, succumbed. In all, 19 belugas have perished at the park since recent years, a number which the facility links to expected lifespan, but which activists say reflects the substandard environment in which they were maintained.

The facility did not operate to the guests over the summer, but the former trainer says she observed directly effects of the cessation. “Concrete is falling apart from the pools because they’re degrading and not being repaired. The whales are curious and so they pick it up and move about with fragments in their jaws. It’s heartbreaking to see.”

The facility did not respond to a request for comment, but in the past claimed: “The whales … obtain far better health care and around the clock supervision than any person in the Britain, or anywhere else.”

Uncertain Future and Potential Resolutions

Burgess was fired from the facility in recent months following the demise of a beluga, an ailing beluga the park staff had to humanely kill. She said the facility suspected information of the death were shared to the news outlets and she was fired shortly thereafter.

The lack of clarity over the whales’ fate has left Burgess and other caretakers in distress. She says the park’s ultimatum to kill its whales is a bargaining chip and is a “practically unfeasible” endeavor, adding any efforts to humanely kill even a single beluga would require “significant staff”, vehicles and machinery.

“There’s no way in hell the employees would ever do it,” she said.

Burgess advocates for requests for the whales to be taken promptly from the facility, with its crumbling tanks and dwindling staff.

In the autumn, Canada’s government official denied a bid to export the whales to an overseas location.

“To approve the proposal would have meant a continued life in captivity and a return to performance for audiences,” the minister wrote. “As society, we know that belugas belong in the wild, not in pools for our entertainment. I could not in ethical standing permit an relocation that would prolong the conditions these belugas have suffered.”

But the former trainer said the official’s statements indicate a wider lack of awareness of the realities of life for belugas raised in confinement.

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

Sanctuary Proposal and Ongoing Debate

As authorities struggle to find a answer, proposals have surfaced, some of which have minimal feasibility. One proposal called for the belugas to be let go into the wilds of the Arctic – where whales are a key source of sustenance for Indigenous peoples.

A planned protected area in the province of eastern Canada, which has received regulatory clearance, has been most controversial. The future facility, which includes extensive space of protected cove, is not yet built. Proponents remain hopeful that it could eventually represent a long term resolution for eight of the whales.

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

Some experts say the prospect of a protected habitat represents a worldwide trend away from animal displays and could represent a viable plan in the near future.

Charles Vinick, director of the initiative, said the site will simulate 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|