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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie is an adorable little “ham sandwich”. The whale Orion – nicknamed “Onion” – is a large but guardian-like companion. Another whale, Zephyr has “ants in his pants” and sways like a worm. Lillooet the beluga is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a gentle spirit.

Thirty captive marine mammals in a Canada-based entertainment facility have become pawns in a tussle between a shuttered park, local and national governments and advocacy groups.

But those most familiar with the whales say the intense debate over their fate often fails to consider the individual traits of the whales who, after spending their lives in confinement, have been closely studied by the humans who work with them regularly.

After the national authorities prevented the sale of the belugas to a foreign facility, the controversial attraction near Niagara Falls where they are held threatened to euthanize them unless the authorities covers the expense of their survival. Canada’s marine resources official has denied that demand, placing the 30 whales in an increasingly precarious circumstance.

Intelligent Marine Mammals

Researchers say that beluga whales’ neural makeup, along with their mimicry abilities, cognitive challenges and social skills indicate they are highly cognitive animals – something Kristy Burgess observed personally.

She spent three years as a whale caretaker, a job that entailed earning the trust of the marine predators.

“Building up those connections over time takes a lot of dedication and a lot of affection. At the outset, they’re very unsure of you,” she said. “In time, you gain shared confidence. And they start being more trusting with you. It’s just so extraordinary and gratifying.”

The trainer knew the whales were very smart, but she says she was even so amazed by the subtleties and unique traits in their personalities. She cultivated a special affection for Eve and Cleopatra with opposing temperaments.

“One whale selected me. Cleo required effort,” she said. “Each transformed the way I view connection.”

Growing Opposition and Facility Decline

Her interaction with the whales developed against a context of rising activist criticism to their enclosure.

During her three years at the park, seven belugas and the park’s one orca, Kiska, died. In total, 19 belugas have died at the park since recent years, a toll which the park ascribes to expected lifespan, but which campaigners say points to the substandard environment in which they were maintained.

The facility did not admit visitors to the public over the summer, but the former trainer says she witnessed firsthand effects of the cessation. “Structural materials is breaking off from the enclosures because they’re falling apart and not being repaired. The whales are exploratory and so they grab fragments and navigate with fragments in their jaws. It’s heartbreaking to see.”

The facility did not respond to a request for comment, but previously asserted: “The whales … get far higher quality medical attention and constant supervision than any person in the UK, or anywhere else.”

Fate in Limbo and Potential Resolutions

The former employee was fired from the facility in recent months following the demise of a beluga, an ailing beluga the employees had to humanely kill. She said the park believed information of the incident were disclosed to the media and she was released soon after.

The ambiguity over the whales’ outcome has left her and current and former trainers in anguish. She says the facility’s warning to euthanize its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “extremely difficult” endeavor, adding any attempts to euthanize even a single beluga would require “significant personnel”, trucks and specialized tools.

“It cannot happen in hell the staff would ever do it,” she said.

She advocates for demands for the whales to be removed immediately from the park, with its crumbling tanks and dwindling staff.

In recent months, the nation’s fisheries minister denied a bid to export the whales to China.

“Allowing the request would have meant a ongoing life in confinement and a reversion to public entertainment,” the official commented. “As society, we know that marine mammals should be in the ocean, not in tanks for our amusement. I could not in clear conscience permit an relocation that would perpetuate the conditions these belugas have suffered.”

But the former trainer said the official’s statements reflect a wider incorrect perception of the facts of living conditions for belugas living their whole lives in enclosures.

“The public needs to grasp these are whales that have lived entirely in enclosed habitats and they will need ongoing assistance for the foreseeable future,” she said. “The public just don’t understand that it’s not as simple as saying ‘end operations’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Continuing Discussion

As decision makers attempt to find a resolution, ideas have been put forward, some of which have questionable practicality. A suggested plan called for the belugas to be freed into the open waters of northern regions – where whales are a key source of nourishment for Indigenous peoples.

A proposed protected area in the region of Nova Scotia, which recently received official endorsement, has shown to be highly debated. The future site, which includes extensive space of protected cove, remains undeveloped. Proponents remain optimistic that it could eventually represent a permanent resolution for some of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among staff she’s spoken with, there is “skepticism there” about what she said is “merely an untested concept” in the whales’ fate.

Some experts say the prospect of a refuge represents a worldwide trend away from captive facilities and could represent a workable solution in the coming months.

Charles Vinick, leader of the initiative, said the location will simulate the intellectual stimulation and nutrition the whales receive from caretakers, albeit in a much larger space. He said after the medical condition of whales is completely examined, which could take months|an extended period|