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Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie Botts is an charming little “ham sandwich”. Orion – called “Onion Ring” – is a large but very loyal companion. Another whale, Zephyr has “ants in his pants” and sways like a wiggly creature. Lillooet is the “loving presence” with a kind nature.

Thirty captive beluga whales in a Canada-based entertainment facility have been caught in a struggle between a shuttered park, government authorities and welfare campaigners.

But those closest to the whales say the impassioned debate over their fate often ignores the individual traits of the whales who, after spending their lives in captivity, have been closely studied by the caretakers who interact with them daily.

After the national authorities prevented the sale of the belugas to China, the embattled attraction near Niagara Falls where they are kept warned to put them down unless the government funds the expense of their care. The nation’s marine resources official has rejected that request, placing the thirty whales in an increasingly precarious situation.

Intelligent Sea Creatures

Experts say that beluga whales’ brain structure, along with their mimicry abilities, intellectual tasks and social skills suggest they are remarkably smart animals – something one caretaker discovered directly.

Burgess spent a significant period as a whale caretaker, a position that involved earning the trust of the aquatic animals.

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

The trainer knew the whales were highly intelligent, but she says she was nonetheless surprised by the details and unique traits in their characters. She cultivated a particular love for Eve and Cleopatra with different temperaments.

“Eve selected me. The other required effort,” she said. “They transformed the way I perceive relationships.”

Growing Opposition and Facility Decline

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

During her time at the park, seven belugas and the park’s one killer whale, Kiska, passed away. In total, nineteen belugas have died at the park since recent years, a number which the park ascribes to expected lifespan, but which activists say indicates the inadequate care in which they were housed.

The facility did not open to the public over the summer, but Burgess says she observed directly consequences of the closure. “Concrete is breaking off from the enclosures because they’re falling apart and not being repaired. The whales are inquisitive and so they grab fragments and move about with pieces in their jaws. It’s upsetting to see.”

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

Fate in Limbo and Proposed Solutions

The former employee was dismissed from the park in recent months following the passing of a beluga, an sick beluga the park staff had to humanely kill. She said the facility thought particulars of the incident were shared to the news outlets and she was let go soon after.

The lack of clarity over the whales’ future has left Burgess and other caretakers in despair. She says the facility’s ultimatum to end the lives of its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “practically unfeasible” task, adding any efforts to euthanize even a single beluga would require “immense manpower”, vehicles and heavy equipment.

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

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

In late September, Canada’s fisheries minister denied a request to send the whales to China.

“Granting the application would have meant a continued situation in enclosure and a reversion to public entertainment,” the official stated. “As society, we know that whales are meant for the wild, not in pools for our enjoyment. I could not in clear conscience permit an export that would continue the treatment these belugas have experienced.”

But the former trainer said the minister’s statements reflect a more general misunderstanding of the realities of life for belugas raised in confinement.

“The people needs to realize these are whales that have spent their whole lives in confinement and they will need ongoing assistance for the remainder of their lives,” she said. “Many just don’t realize that it’s not as straightforward as saying ‘shut it down’.”

Alternative Habitat and Ongoing Debate

As authorities work to find a answer, proposals have been put forward, some of which have minimal feasibility. An idea called for the belugas to be released into the wilds of the Arctic – where whales are a important part of nourishment for Indigenous peoples.

A planned refuge in the province of eastern Canada, which recently received government approval, has been highly debated. The planned location, which includes extensive space of enclosed sea water, remains undeveloped. Supporters remain optimistic that it could ultimately represent a sustainable answer for eight of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among trainers she’s spoken with, there is “no trust there” about what she said is “merely an trial” in the whales’ well-being.

Others say the idea of a sanctuary represents a worldwide trend away from animal displays and could represent a feasible solution in the near future.

Charles Vinick, director of the sanctuary project, said the facility will mimic the intellectual stimulation and diet the whales obtain from caretakers, albeit in a significantly bigger area. He said after the well-being of whales is fully assessed, which could take months|an extended period|