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Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie Botts is an adorable little “playful character”. The whale Orion – called “Onion” – is a large but very loyal friend. Zephyr has “endless energy” and moves like a wiggly creature. Lillooet is the “loving presence” with a kind nature.

Thirty enclosed beluga whales in a Canada-based amusement park have been entangled in a tussle between a defunct facility, public officials and welfare campaigners.

But those working directly with the whales say the impassioned discussion over their future often ignores the complexities of the whales who, after living their entire lives in confinement, have been thoroughly researched by the humans who work with them regularly.

After the national authorities blocked the export of the belugas to a foreign facility, the controversial amusement park near Niagara Falls where they are held threatened to put them down unless the federal government covers the cost of their care. The nation’s marine resources official has denied that request, placing the thirty whales in an ever more uncertain circumstance.

Intelligent Sea Creatures

Researchers say that beluga whales’ brain structure, along with their mimicry abilities, problem solving and group interactions point to they are highly cognitive animals – something a former trainer learned first-hand.

She spent a significant period as a beluga trainer, a role that involved building relationships of the sea creatures.

“Establishing those relationships over time takes a lot of regularity and a lot of care. At the outset, they’re very wary of you,” she said. “Over time, you gain mutual trust. And they start being more trusting with you. It’s just so wonderful and rewarding.”

Burgess knew the whales were highly intelligent, but she says she was even so astounded by the nuances and unique traits in their dispositions. She developed a deep bond for two female belugas with different temperaments.

“Eve chose me. Cleo made me earn it,” she said. “Both altered the way I understand bonding.”

Public Concerns and Facility Decline

Her interaction with the whales evolved against a backdrop of rising activist criticism to their confinement.

During her time at the attraction, seven belugas and the park’s one orca, the orca, died. In all, 19 belugas have perished at the park since recent years, a toll which the park attributes to age-related causes, but which activists say reflects the inadequate care in which they were maintained.

The park did not admit visitors to the public over the summer, but Burgess says she witnessed firsthand effects of the closure. “Concrete is breaking off from the enclosures because they’re falling apart and not being maintained. The whales are inquisitive and so they pick it up and navigate with chunks in their mouth. It’s distressing to see.”

The park did not reply to a questionnaire, but in the past stated: “The whales … receive far better veterinary services and around the clock attention than any person in the United Kingdom, or other places.”

Uncertain Future and Potential Resolutions

Burgess was fired from the facility in recent months following the death of Eos, an sick beluga the employees had to put down. She said the facility thought details of the incident were disclosed to the news outlets and she was let go soon after.

The ambiguity over the whales’ future has left her and current and former trainers in anguish. She says the park’s warning to kill its whales is a bargaining chip and is a “logistically impossible” task, adding any efforts to humanely kill 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.

Burgess backs demands for the whales to be taken promptly from the facility, with its failing enclosures and reduced personnel.

In late September, the nation’s government official turned down a proposal to export the whales to China.

“Allowing the proposal would have meant a perpetual situation in enclosure and a reversion to display for amusement,” the minister stated. “As Canadians, we know that whales should be in the sea, not in enclosures for our enjoyment. I could not in clear conscience authorize an transfer that would prolong the conditions these belugas have experienced.”

But the former trainer said the minister’s comments reflect a broader incorrect perception of the circumstances of living conditions for belugas raised in confinement.

“The society needs to understand these are whales that have existed solely in captivity and they will need human care for the rest of their years,” she said. “Many just don’t understand that it’s not as simple as saying ‘close it down’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Continuing Discussion

As authorities work to find a resolution, suggestions have emerged, some of which have little basis in reality. A suggested plan called for the belugas to be freed into the wilds of Canada’s north – where whales are a important part of nourishment for Inuit communities.

A suggested refuge in the region of eastern Canada, which recently received government approval, has proven highly debated. The planned site, which includes extensive space of protected cove, is not yet built. Supporters remain hopeful that it could eventually represent a long term resolution for eight of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among caretakers she’s spoken with, there is “no trust there” about what she said is “only an untested concept” in the whales’ future.

Different voices say the idea of a refuge indicates a broader global shift away from zoos and aquariums and could represent a feasible plan in the coming months.

An official, director of the plan, said the location will simulate the cognitive activities and feeding regimen the whales receive from specialists, albeit in a significantly bigger space. He said after the health of whales is fully assessed, which could take months|an extended period|