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Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie Botts is an adorable little “sweetheart”. The whale Orion – nicknamed “Onion” – is a large but fiercely protective friend. Another whale, Zephyr has “ants in his pants” and sways like a worm. Lillooet is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a heart of gold.

A group of thirty captive beluga whales in a Canadian entertainment facility have been entangled in a struggle between a defunct facility, public officials and advocacy groups.

But those closest to the whales say the intense debate over their fate often ignores the complexities of the whales who, after spending their lives in confinement, have been thoroughly researched by the people who interact with them daily.

After the Canadian government blocked the sale of the belugas to a foreign facility, the struggling attraction near Niagara Falls where they are housed threatened to end their lives unless the government pays for the upkeep of keeping them alive. Canada’s marine resources official has denied that request, placing the 30 whales in an increasingly precarious situation.

Highly Cognitive Marine Mammals

Scientists say that beluga whales’ brain structure, along with their vocal imitation skills, problem solving and social skills suggest they are remarkably smart creatures – something one caretaker observed first-hand.

She spent several years as a marine mammal specialist, a job that entailed gaining confidence of the marine predators.

“Establishing those connections over time takes a lot of dedication and a lot of love. At the beginning, they’re very cautious of you,” she said. “Over time, you gain shared confidence. And they start being more open with you. It’s just so magical and rewarding.”

The trainer knew the whales were highly intelligent, but she says she was nevertheless astounded by the subtleties and quirks in their dispositions. She formed a deep bond for two female belugas with opposing temperaments.

“Eve accepted me. Cleo required effort,” she said. “They changed the way I understand connection.”

Public Concerns and Facility Decline

Burgess’s connection with the whales progressed against a backdrop of increasing societal concern to their confinement.

During her three years at the park, seven belugas and the park’s single orca, the orca, succumbed. In all, 19 belugas have perished at the park since recent years, a toll which the facility ascribes to age-related causes, but which advocates say points to the substandard environment in which they were maintained.

The park did not operate to the visitors over the summer, but the former trainer says she observed directly results of the shutdown. “Concrete is breaking off from the enclosures because they’re falling apart and not being maintained. The whales are exploratory and so they grab fragments and move about with pieces in their jaws. It’s upsetting to see.”

The park did not reply to a inquiry, but earlier stated: “The whales … receive far better veterinary services and constant supervision than any individual in the Britain, or other places.”

Uncertain Future and Potential Resolutions

Burgess was dismissed from the park in recent months following the death of a beluga, an ailing beluga the park staff had to humanely kill. She said the facility believed information of the incident were leaked to the media and she was released shortly thereafter.

The uncertainty over the whales’ outcome has left Burgess and current and former trainers in despair. She says the facility’s threat to kill its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “logistically impossible” endeavor, adding any efforts to humanely kill even a individual beluga would require “significant staff”, equipment and specialized tools.

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

She advocates for calls for the whales to be transferred right away from the facility, with its crumbling tanks and reduced personnel.

In the autumn, Canada’s government official rejected a request to transfer the whales to an overseas location.

“Granting the proposal would have meant a continued life in confinement and a return to performance for audiences,” the official wrote. “As the public, we know that belugas are meant for the wild, not in tanks for our entertainment. I could not in clear conscience permit an export that would perpetuate the conditions these belugas have endured.”

But Burgess said the minister’s comments indicate a wider lack of awareness of the realities of life for belugas born in captivity.

“The public needs to understand these are whales that have spent their whole lives in captivity and they will need human care for the foreseeable future,” she said. “People just don’t understand that it’s not as straightforward as saying ‘close it down’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Ongoing Debate

As officials attempt to find a solution, suggestions have surfaced, some of which have little basis in reality. An idea called for the belugas to be released into the wilds of northern regions – where whales are a key source of food for local populations.

A proposed protected area in the province of eastern Canada, which now received government approval, has been highly debated. The prospective facility, which includes 100 acres of protected cove, remains undeveloped. Proponents remain optimistic that it could eventually represent a permanent resolution for a number of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among staff she’s spoken with, there is “doubts there” about what she said is “only an untested concept” in the whales’ future.

Different voices say the prospect of a protected habitat reflects a worldwide trend away from animal displays and could represent a workable approach in the short term.

Charles Vinick, leader of the plan, said the site will replicate the mental engagement and nutrition the whales obtain from specialists, albeit in a more expansive space. He said after the well-being of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|