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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie is an charming small “sweetheart”. The whale Orion – called “Onion Ring” – is a big but fiercely protective companion. Another whale, Zephyr has “endless energy” and wiggles like a worm. Lillooet the beluga is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a gentle spirit.

Thirty enclosed marine mammals in a Canadian entertainment facility have been caught in a struggle between a shuttered park, public officials and animal rights activists.

But those working directly with the whales say the heated discussion over their destiny often fails to consider the complexities of the whales who, after spending their lives in enclosed habitats, have been closely studied by the caretakers who see them each day.

After the national authorities disallowed the transfer of the belugas to China, the controversial amusement park near Niagara Falls where they are housed warned to euthanize them unless the federal government covers the expense of keeping them alive. Canada’s marine resources official has refused that ultimatum, placing the thirty whales in an ever more uncertain position.

Intelligent Marine Mammals

Experts say that belugas’ brain structure, along with their sound replication, problem solving and communal behavior indicate they are remarkably smart creatures – something one caretaker learned directly.

Burgess spent several years as a whale caretaker, a job that involved building relationships of the aquatic animals.

“Establishing those bonds over time takes a lot of dedication and a lot of affection. At the start, they’re very cautious of you,” she said. “Eventually, you gain reciprocal understanding. And they start being more open with you. It’s just so wonderful and rewarding.”

Burgess knew the whales were exceptionally cognitive, but she says she was even so surprised by the nuances and unique traits in their dispositions. She formed a particular love for Eve and Cleopatra with opposing personalities.

“One whale accepted me. Cleo demanded work,” she said. “Each transformed the way I understand relationships.”

Public Concerns and Deteriorating Conditions

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

During her time at the park, seven belugas and the park’s one killer whale, the orca, passed away. In all, 19 belugas have perished at the park since recent years, a number which the park ascribes to natural mortality, but which advocates say reflects the poor conditions in which they were kept.

The facility did not open to the public over the summer, but the former trainer says she observed directly consequences of the closure. “Structural materials is breaking off from the pools because they’re falling apart and not being fixed. The whales are inquisitive and so they take pieces and swim around with pieces in their mouth. It’s heartbreaking to see.”

The facility did not reply to a request for comment, but previously claimed: “The whales … receive far higher quality health care and around the clock attention than any person in the UK, or other places.”

Uncertain Future and Potential Resolutions

Burgess was dismissed from the facility in early March following the death of Eos, an unwell beluga the employees had to humanely kill. She said the park believed information of the death were shared to the news outlets and she was fired not long after.

The ambiguity over the whales’ fate has left her and current and former trainers in distress. She says the park’s warning to euthanize its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “logistically impossible” endeavor, adding any plans to euthanize even a one beluga would require “significant personnel”, vehicles and specialized tools.

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

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

In the autumn, the nation’s government official rejected a request to export the whales to an overseas location.

“Granting the application would have meant a perpetual life in captivity and a return to public entertainment,” the minister stated. “As the public, we know that whales belong in the wild, not in enclosures for our amusement. I could not in clear conscience permit an transfer that would continue the treatment these belugas have experienced.”

But Burgess said the official’s statements reflect a broader misunderstanding of the facts of living conditions for belugas raised in confinement.

“The people needs to understand these are whales that have lived entirely in confinement and they will need human care for the foreseeable future,” she said. “Many just don’t understand that it’s not as simple as saying ‘end operations’.”

Alternative Habitat and Continuing Discussion

As officials struggle to find a answer, proposals have been put forward, some of which have little basis in reality. A suggested plan called for the belugas to be let go into the wilds of the Arctic – where whales are a primary resource of sustenance for Inuit communities.

A proposed sanctuary in the region of eastern Canada, which now received regulatory clearance, has been most controversial. The planned facility, which includes a large area of penned in ocean, doesn’t yet exist. Proponents remain optimistic that it could in time represent a long term resolution for some of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among caretakers she’s discussed with, there is “doubts there” about what she said is “only an experiment” in the whales’ fate.

Some experts say the prospect of a refuge indicates a changing attitudes away from captive facilities and could represent a feasible approach in the short term.

Charles Vinick, director of the plan, said the location will mimic the intellectual stimulation and nutrition the whales receive from trainers, albeit in a much larger environment. He said after the health of whales is completely examined, which could take months|an extended period|