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Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie is an adorable little “ham sandwich”. The whale Orion – nicknamed “Onion” – is a sizeable but very loyal companion. Another whale, Zephyr has “endless energy” and sways like a wiggly creature. Lillooet is the “loving presence” with a heart of gold.

A group of thirty enclosed marine mammals in a Canada-based entertainment facility have been caught in a tussle between a closed attraction, public officials and animal rights activists.

But those working directly with the whales say the impassioned debate over their future often overlooks the individual traits of the whales who, after living their entire lives in captivity, have been thoroughly researched by the people who interact with them daily.

After the national authorities prevented the sale of the belugas to China, the controversial facility near Niagara Falls where they are housed warned to end their lives unless the federal government pays for the expense of keeping them alive. Canada’s fisheries minister has denied that demand, placing the 30 whales in an increasingly precarious situation.

Highly Cognitive Marine Mammals

Scientists say that beluga whales’ neural makeup, along with their sound replication, intellectual tasks and group interactions suggest they are deeply intelligent animals – something one caretaker learned directly.

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

“Developing those bonds over time takes a lot of consistency and a lot of love. At the outset, they’re very unsure of you,” she said. “In time, you gain reciprocal understanding. And they start being more open with you. It’s just so magical and fulfilling.”

Burgess knew the whales were highly intelligent, but she says she was nonetheless astounded by the nuances and unique traits in their personalities. She cultivated a special affection for a pair of whales with different personalities.

“Eve chose me. Cleo demanded work,” she said. “Each transformed the way I perceive connection.”

Growing Opposition and Facility Decline

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

During her tenure at the facility, multiple belugas and the park’s single killer whale, the orca, died. In all, 19 belugas have perished at the park since recent years, a number which the facility attributes to expected lifespan, but which advocates say indicates the substandard environment in which they were maintained.

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

The park did not respond to a request for comment, but previously asserted: “The whales … obtain far superior health care and 24/7 attention than any human in the UK, or elsewhere.”

Uncertain Future and Proposed Solutions

The former employee was fired from the park in the spring following the death of a beluga, an unwell beluga the park staff had to put down. She said the facility believed details of the incident were disclosed to the news outlets and she was released soon after.

The lack of clarity over the whales’ outcome has left her and other caretakers in distress. She says the park’s warning to end the lives of its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “practically unfeasible” endeavor, adding any plans to euthanize even a single beluga would require “immense staff”, trucks and heavy equipment.

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

Burgess advocates for requests for the whales to be removed promptly from the facility, with its crumbling tanks and reduced personnel.

In the autumn, Canada’s fisheries minister denied a request to transfer the whales to China.

“To approve the proposal would have meant a perpetual existence in captivity and a return to public entertainment,” the official wrote. “As Canadians, we know that marine mammals should be in the ocean, not in tanks for our amusement. I could not in ethical standing authorize an transfer that would perpetuate the conditions these belugas have experienced.”

But Burgess said the official’s comments indicate a broader lack of awareness of the circumstances of life for belugas raised in confinement.

“The public needs to realize these are whales that have spent their whole lives in enclosed habitats and they will need ongoing assistance for the foreseeable future,” she said. “Many just don’t realize that it’s not as easy as saying ‘shut it down’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Ongoing Debate

As decision makers struggle to find a answer, proposals have surfaced, some of which have questionable practicality. One proposal called for the belugas to be let go into the wilds of the Arctic – where whales are a important part of food for local populations.

A proposed sanctuary in the province of eastern Canada, which has received regulatory clearance, has proven most controversial. The prospective location, which includes extensive space of penned in ocean, doesn’t yet exist. Supporters remain hopeful that it could eventually represent a long term answer for some of the whales.

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

Different voices say the prospect of a sanctuary reflects a worldwide trend away from captive facilities and could represent a feasible plan in the coming months.

An official, head of the plan, said the site will replicate the intellectual stimulation and nutrition the whales get from specialists, albeit in a significantly bigger environment. He said after the well-being of whales is completely examined, which could take months|an extended period|