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Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie Botts is an adorable little “ham sandwich”. The whale Orion – nicknamed “Onion” – is a big but guardian-like friend. Another whale, Zephyr has “endless energy” and moves like a wiggly creature. Lillooet the beluga is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a kind nature.

A group of thirty enclosed marine mammals in a Canadian amusement park have become pawns in a struggle between a shuttered park, government authorities and advocacy groups.

But those most familiar with the whales say the impassioned controversy over their destiny often ignores the nuances of the whales who, after spending their lives in captivity, have been closely studied by the caretakers who interact with them daily.

After the federal government disallowed the sale of the belugas to China, the embattled amusement park near Niagara Falls where they are kept warned to euthanize them unless the government covers the cost of their care. The nation’s fisheries minister has denied that ultimatum, placing the 30 whales in an dangerously unstable circumstance.

Highly Cognitive Sea Creatures

Researchers say that beluga whales’ brain structure, along with their vocal imitation skills, problem solving and communal behavior indicate they are remarkably smart creatures – something a former trainer observed personally.

She spent three years as a beluga trainer, a job that entailed gaining confidence of the sea creatures.

“Building up those bonds over time takes a lot of consistency and a lot of love. At the outset, they’re very wary of you,” she said. “In time, you gain reciprocal understanding. 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 even so surprised by the details and unique traits in their dispositions. She formed a special affection for two female belugas with opposing natures.

“One whale selected me. The other required effort,” she said. “Both altered the way I view relationships.”

Public Concerns and Deteriorating Conditions

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

During her time at the park, multiple belugas and the park’s one killer whale, the orca, succumbed. In total, 19 belugas have perished at the park since recent years, a toll which the park links to age-related causes, but which activists say reflects the substandard environment in which they were maintained.

The park did not admit visitors to the guests over the recent season, but Burgess says she witnessed firsthand effects of the closure. “Concrete is deteriorating from the enclosures because they’re falling apart and not being repaired. The whales are exploratory and so they take pieces and navigate with pieces in their mouth. It’s upsetting to see.”

The park did not respond to a request for comment, but previously stated: “The whales … obtain far superior medical attention and 24/7 care than any individual in the UK, or other places.”

Uncertain Future and Proposed Solutions

Burgess was terminated from the park in recent months following the passing of a beluga, an unwell beluga the park staff had to humanely kill. She said the facility thought information of the incident were leaked to the press and she was fired not long after.

The uncertainty over the whales’ future has left her and staff members in despair. She says the facility’s ultimatum to kill its whales is a bargaining chip and is a “logistically impossible” undertaking, adding any efforts to put down even a single beluga would require “immense personnel”, trucks and machinery.

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

Burgess backs demands for the whales to be transferred immediately from the park, with its failing enclosures and shrinking team.

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

“Allowing the proposal would have meant a perpetual situation in enclosure and a return to public entertainment,” the minister commented. “As the public, we know that whales should be in the wild, not in tanks for our entertainment. I could not in ethical standing permit an transfer that would continue the treatment these belugas have suffered.”

But Burgess said the official’s remarks reflect a wider misunderstanding of the realities of life for belugas living their whole lives in enclosures.

“The society needs to grasp these are whales that have existed solely in confinement and they will need ongoing assistance for the remainder of their lives,” she said. “The public just don’t comprehend that it’s not as easy as saying ‘shut it down’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Ongoing Debate

As decision makers work to find a solution, suggestions have been put forward, some of which have minimal feasibility. A suggested plan called for the belugas to be freed into the natural habitat of Canada’s north – where whales are a important part of food for Indigenous peoples.

A proposed sanctuary in the province of eastern Canada, which has received government approval, has been contentious. The planned location, which includes extensive space of penned in ocean, remains undeveloped. Proponents remain hopeful that it could ultimately represent a sustainable resolution for some of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among caretakers she’s consulted, there is “doubts there” about what she said is “only an trial” in the whales’ fate.

Different voices say the idea of a refuge indicates a changing attitudes away from animal displays and could represent a workable solution in the short term.

Charles Vinick, leader of the sanctuary project, said the site will simulate the intellectual stimulation and nutrition the whales receive from specialists, albeit in a more expansive area. He said after the health of whales is fully assessed, which could take months|an extended period|