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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie Botts is an adorable little “ham sandwich”. Orion – called “Onion Ring” – is a large but very loyal companion. Zephyr has “constant motion” and moves like a worm. Lillooet is the “loving presence” with a kind nature.

Thirty enclosed beluga whales in a Canada-based amusement park have become pawns in a disagreement between a shuttered park, public officials and animal rights activists.

But those most familiar with the whales say the heated discussion over their fate often fails to consider the nuances of the whales who, after spending their lives in confinement, have been thoroughly researched by the humans who see them each day.

After the national authorities blocked the sale of the belugas to a foreign facility, the embattled attraction near Niagara Falls where they are kept stated it would consider to put them down unless the government covers the cost of their survival. Canada’s fisheries minister has denied that request, placing the thirty whales in an dangerously unstable position.

Intelligent Sea Creatures

Experts say that belugas’ brain structure, along with their mimicry abilities, problem solving and group interactions indicate they are deeply intelligent creatures – something Kristy Burgess discovered directly.

Burgess spent a significant period as a beluga trainer, a role that entailed gaining confidence of the aquatic animals.

“Building up those bonds over time takes a lot of consistency and a lot of love. At the outset, they’re very cautious of you,” she said. “In time, you gain shared confidence. 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 nonetheless astounded by the nuances and quirks in their characters. She cultivated a special affection for two female belugas with contrasting temperaments.

“One whale chose me. Cleo required effort,” she said. “Both changed the way I view bonding.”

Public Concerns and Facility Decline

Her interaction with the whales progressed against a context of rising activist criticism to their confinement.

During her tenure at the facility, multiple belugas and the park’s one orca, Kiska, died. In total, nineteen belugas have died at the park since recent years, a number which the park attributes to age-related causes, but which advocates say points to the inadequate care in which they were maintained.

The park did not operate to the public over the recent season, but the former trainer says she witnessed firsthand results of the cessation. “Structural materials is deteriorating from the enclosures because they’re degrading and not being repaired. The whales are inquisitive and so they take pieces and navigate with pieces in their mouth. It’s heartbreaking to see.”

The park did not respond to a inquiry, but previously asserted: “The whales … obtain far higher quality veterinary services and 24/7 supervision than any human in the UK, or anywhere else.”

Fate in Limbo and Proposed Solutions

Burgess was dismissed from the park in early March following the passing of a beluga, an ailing beluga the caretakers had to put down. She said the facility thought information of the incident were disclosed to the media and she was released shortly thereafter.

The lack of clarity over the whales’ fate has left Burgess and other caretakers in despair. She says the park’s threat to euthanize its whales is a bargaining chip and is a “extremely difficult” undertaking, adding any attempts to put down even a one beluga would require “significant personnel”, vehicles and specialized tools.

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

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

In late September, the nation’s fisheries minister denied a proposal to export the whales to an overseas location.

“Allowing the proposal would have meant a continued life in confinement and a return to performance for audiences,” the official commented. “As society, we know that marine mammals belong in the wild, not in enclosures for our entertainment. I could not in clear conscience approve an export that would prolong the situation these belugas have suffered.”

But Burgess said the official’s comments indicate a more general incorrect perception of the realities of life for belugas raised in confinement.

“The society needs to understand these are whales that have lived entirely in confinement and they will need constant supervision for the rest of their years,” she said. “Many just don’t realize that it’s not as simple as saying ‘shut it down’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Ongoing Debate

As decision makers attempt to find a resolution, ideas have emerged, some of which have little basis in reality. An idea called for the belugas to be let go into the natural habitat of the Arctic – where whales are a important part of nourishment for Indigenous peoples.

A planned protected area in the province of Nova Scotia, which recently received official endorsement, has been most controversial. The prospective location, which includes extensive space of protected cove, is not yet built. Supporters remain optimistic that it could ultimately represent a long term answer for a number of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among caretakers she’s spoken with, there is “no trust there” about what she said is “simply an trial” in the whales’ well-being.

Some experts say the idea of a sanctuary indicates a changing attitudes away from captive facilities and could represent a viable plan in the coming months.

An official, director of the sanctuary project, said the site will mimic the intellectual stimulation and feeding regimen the whales obtain from specialists, albeit in a much larger space. He said after the well-being of whales is completely examined, which could take months|an extended period|