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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie Botts is an charming little “playful character”. The whale Orion – called “Onion” – is a sizeable but fiercely protective friend. Zephyr has “endless energy” and moves like a wiggly creature. Lillooet the beluga is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a heart of gold.

Thirty captive beluga whales in a Canadian amusement park have been caught in a struggle between a defunct facility, local and national governments and animal rights activists.

But those closest to the whales say the impassioned debate over their fate often overlooks the individual traits of the whales who, after growing up in confinement, have been thoroughly researched by the humans who see them each day.

After the Canadian government disallowed the export of the belugas to China, the embattled attraction near Niagara Falls where they are kept threatened to end their lives unless the government covers the expense of their care. Canada’s marine resources official has refused that request, placing the 30 whales in an increasingly precarious circumstance.

Intelligent Marine Mammals

Researchers say that belugas’ brain structure, along with their sound replication, cognitive challenges and group interactions point to they are deeply intelligent animals – something a former trainer discovered first-hand.

Burgess spent a significant period as a whale caretaker, a job that involved earning the trust of the marine predators.

“Developing those connections over time takes a lot of regularity and a lot of affection. At the outset, they’re very cautious of you,” she said. “In time, you gain reciprocal understanding. And they start being more open with you. It’s just so magical and rewarding.”

Burgess knew the whales were highly intelligent, but she says she was nonetheless surprised by the subtleties and unique traits in their characters. She cultivated a deep bond for a pair of whales with contrasting natures.

“One whale chose me. The other required effort,” she said. “They changed the way I understand relationships.”

Growing Opposition and Deteriorating Conditions

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

During her time at the attraction, multiple belugas and the park’s single killer whale, the orca, succumbed. In all, 19 belugas have perished at the park since recent years, a toll which the park ascribes to natural mortality, but which activists say points to the inadequate care in which they were kept.

The park did not operate to the public over the recent season, but the former trainer says she saw with her own eyes consequences of the cessation. “Structural materials is breaking off from the enclosures because they’re in disrepair and not being fixed. The whales are curious and so they take pieces and swim around with fragments in their mouth. It’s distressing to see.”

The facility did not comment to a request for comment, but earlier asserted: “The whales … obtain far higher quality health care and 24/7 attention than any person in the UK, or elsewhere.”

Fate in Limbo and Potential Resolutions

The former employee was fired from the park in early March following the demise of a beluga, an ailing beluga the caretakers had to euthanize. She said the facility believed particulars of the death were leaked to the press and she was fired shortly thereafter.

The uncertainty over the whales’ outcome has left Burgess and other caretakers in distress. She says the park’s warning to end the lives of its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “practically unfeasible” task, adding any plans to put down even a single beluga would require “significant staff”, trucks and specialized tools.

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

She backs demands for the whales to be removed immediately from the park, with its crumbling tanks and shrinking team.

In recent months, Canada’s government official rejected a request to transfer the whales to China.

“Granting the proposal would have meant a ongoing situation in captivity and a return to performance for audiences,” the official commented. “As the public, we know that whales belong in the ocean, not in pools for our enjoyment. I could not in ethical standing authorize an transfer that would perpetuate the treatment these belugas have suffered.”

But the former trainer said the minister’s comments indicate a wider lack of awareness of the facts of existence for belugas born in captivity.

“The public needs to grasp these are whales that have spent their whole lives in captivity and they will need ongoing assistance for the foreseeable future,” she said. “Many just don’t realize that it’s not as easy as saying ‘end operations’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Ongoing Debate

As authorities attempt to find a solution, proposals have been put forward, some of which have minimal feasibility. An idea called for the belugas to be freed into the open waters of northern regions – where whales are a important part of nourishment for Indigenous peoples.

A proposed sanctuary in the region of Nova Scotia, which now received official endorsement, has been most controversial. The prospective site, which includes extensive space of enclosed sea water, doesn’t yet exist. Proponents remain optimistic that it could ultimately represent a long term resolution for a number of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among staff she’s discussed with, there is “skepticism there” about what she said is “simply an experiment” in the whales’ well-being.

Different voices say the possibility of a refuge reflects a broader global shift away from animal displays and could represent a workable solution in the coming months.

An official, leader of the plan, said the site will replicate the intellectual stimulation and nutrition the whales receive from specialists, albeit in a much larger area. He said after the well-being of whales is fully assessed, which could take months|an extended period|