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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie Botts is an adorable little “ham sandwich”. Orion – called “Onion” – is a big but guardian-like friend. Another whale, Zephyr has “ants in his pants” and moves like a wiggly creature. Lillooet the beluga is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a gentle spirit.

Thirty enclosed marine mammals in a Canadian entertainment facility have become pawns in a struggle between a defunct facility, public officials and animal rights activists.

But those most familiar with the whales say the heated controversy over their destiny often fails to consider the nuances of the whales who, after living their entire lives in enclosed habitats, have been carefully observed by the caretakers who interact with them daily.

After the Canadian government prevented the export of the belugas to a foreign facility, the embattled attraction near the famous falls where they are kept stated it would consider to end their lives unless the government covers the expense of their care. The nation’s marine resources official has rejected that request, placing the 30 whales in an ever more uncertain situation.

Intelligent Sea Creatures

Experts say that belugas’ brain structure, along with their sound replication, intellectual tasks and social skills indicate they are highly cognitive animals – something one caretaker discovered first-hand.

She spent three years as a whale caretaker, a role that involved building relationships of the sea creatures.

“Developing those connections over time takes a lot of dedication and a lot of love. At the outset, they’re very unsure of you,” she said. “Eventually, you gain reciprocal understanding. And they start being more trusting with you. It’s just so wonderful and fulfilling.”

Burgess knew the whales were very smart, but she says she was nonetheless amazed by the details and quirks in their dispositions. She cultivated a deep bond for two female belugas with different temperaments.

“Eve accepted me. The other made me earn it,” she said. “They altered the way I perceive bonding.”

Growing Opposition and Facility Decline

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

During her tenure at the attraction, seven belugas and the park’s single killer whale, Kiska, succumbed. In all, 19 belugas have died at the park since recent years, a number which the facility attributes to age-related causes, but which activists say points to the poor conditions in which they were maintained.

The park did not admit visitors to the guests over the recent season, but the former trainer says she observed directly consequences of the closure. “Concrete is breaking off from the tanks because they’re falling apart and not being repaired. The whales are exploratory and so they pick it up and move about with pieces in their mouth. It’s distressing to see.”

The facility did not respond to a request for comment, but earlier stated: “The whales … get far higher quality medical attention and 24/7 attention than any individual in the Britain, or elsewhere.”

Fate in Limbo and Proposed Solutions

The former employee was fired from the park in the spring following the demise of a beluga, an ailing beluga the park staff had to put down. She said the facility suspected information of the death were shared to the media and she was released not long after.

The lack of clarity over the whales’ outcome has left Burgess and current and former trainers in anguish. She says the park’s warning to kill its whales is a bargaining chip and is a “practically unfeasible” endeavor, adding any efforts to humanely kill even a single beluga would require “considerable personnel”, trucks and specialized tools.

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

Burgess advocates for requests for the whales to be transferred promptly from the park, with its failing enclosures and reduced personnel.

In recent months, Canada’s fisheries minister rejected a proposal to export the whales to China.

“Allowing the proposal would have meant a continued life in captivity and a return to performance for audiences,” the minister stated. “As society, we know that whales belong in the sea, not in pools for our amusement. I could not in clear conscience approve an export that would continue the conditions these belugas have suffered.”

But Burgess said the official’s comments indicate a broader misunderstanding of the realities of living conditions for belugas living their whole lives in enclosures.

“The people needs to understand these are whales that have spent their whole lives in captivity and they will need constant supervision for the rest of their years,” she said. “Many just don’t understand that it’s not as straightforward as saying ‘end operations’.”

Alternative Habitat and Continuing Discussion

As officials struggle to find a answer, proposals have surfaced, some of which have minimal feasibility. One proposal called for the belugas to be freed into the wilds of the Arctic – where whales are a key source of food for Inuit communities.

A suggested protected area in the province of Nova Scotia, which has received regulatory clearance, has shown to be highly debated. The prospective location, which includes 100 acres of protected cove, remains undeveloped. Supporters remain optimistic that it could eventually represent a sustainable solution for eight of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among trainers she’s discussed with, there is “no trust there” about what she said is “merely an experiment” in the whales’ fate.

Some experts say the prospect of a sanctuary reflects a broader global shift away from animal displays and could represent a workable plan in the coming months.

The project lead, head of the plan, said the site will replicate the mental engagement and feeding regimen the whales get from trainers, albeit in a significantly bigger environment. He said after the health of whales is fully assessed, which could take months|an extended period|