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Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie is an adorable small “playful character”. Orion – nicknamed “Onion Ring” – is a big but very loyal companion. Another whale, Zephyr has “constant motion” and wiggles like a wiggly creature. Lillooet the beluga is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a kind nature.

Thirty captive marine mammals in a Canadian amusement park have been entangled in a disagreement between a defunct facility, government authorities and welfare campaigners.

But those most familiar with the whales say the heated debate over their fate often overlooks the individual traits of the whales who, after spending their lives in captivity, have been thoroughly researched by the caretakers who see them each day.

After the federal government blocked the export of the belugas to China, the embattled amusement park near Niagara Falls where they are kept warned to euthanize them unless the government funds the expense of their care. The nation’s marine resources official has denied that ultimatum, placing the 30 whales in an dangerously unstable situation.

Intelligent Marine Mammals

Scientists say that belugas’ brain structure, along with their vocal imitation skills, problem solving and group interactions suggest they are deeply intelligent animals – something a former trainer discovered personally.

Burgess spent three years as a beluga trainer, a position that involved earning the trust of the marine predators.

“Building up those relationships over time takes a lot of regularity and a lot of love. At the start, they’re very unsure of you,” she said. “Eventually, you gain mutual trust. And they start being more trusting with you. It’s just so extraordinary and rewarding.”

Burgess knew the whales were highly intelligent, but she says she was even so astounded by the subtleties and idiosyncrasies in their characters. She formed a special affection for Eve and Cleopatra with different personalities.

“One whale accepted me. Cleo demanded work,” she said. “Both altered the way I view relationships.”

Public Concerns and Deteriorating Conditions

Her relationship with the whales progressed against a backdrop of growing public opposition to their enclosure.

During her three years at the facility, multiple belugas and the park’s one killer whale, the orca, died. In all, 19 belugas have perished at the park since recent years, a number which the facility attributes to natural mortality, but which activists say reflects the poor conditions in which they were kept.

The facility did not open to the guests over the recent season, but Burgess says she observed directly results of the closure. “Concrete is deteriorating from the enclosures because they’re in disrepair and not being maintained. The whales are inquisitive and so they take pieces and navigate with fragments in their mouth. It’s heartbreaking to see.”

The facility did not comment to a questionnaire, but in the past asserted: “The whales … get far higher quality health care and 24/7 care than any person in the UK, or other places.”

Uncertain Future and Potential Resolutions

The former employee was fired from the park in recent months following the demise of Eos, an ailing beluga the employees had to put down. She said the facility thought details of the death were disclosed to the media and she was let go not long after.

The ambiguity over the whales’ fate has left Burgess and current and former trainers in distress. She says the facility’s warning to euthanize its whales is a leverage tool and is a “practically unfeasible” task, adding any efforts to euthanize even a one beluga would require “considerable staff”, trucks and specialized tools.

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

She advocates for requests for the whales to be taken right away from the park, with its failing enclosures and shrinking team.

In late September, Canada’s government official turned down a proposal to send the whales to China.

“Allowing the application would have meant a continued existence in confinement and a return to performance for audiences,” the official stated. “As the public, we know that whales are meant for the sea, not in tanks for our amusement. I could not in clear conscience authorize an export that would perpetuate the conditions these belugas have suffered.”

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

“The society needs to understand these are whales that have lived entirely in confinement and they will need constant supervision for the remainder of their lives,” she said. “People just don’t understand that it’s not as easy as saying ‘shut it down’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Ongoing Debate

As authorities work to find a solution, proposals have surfaced, some of which have little basis in reality. One proposal called for the belugas to be freed into the wilds of Canada’s north – where whales are a primary resource of food for Indigenous peoples.

A proposed sanctuary in the province of eastern Canada, which has received government approval, has proven contentious. The prospective location, which includes a large area of penned in ocean, remains undeveloped. Supporters remain hopeful that it could eventually represent a permanent resolution for a number of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among trainers she’s consulted, there is “no trust there” about what she said is “simply an untested concept” in the whales’ fate.

Others say the idea of a protected habitat reflects a changing attitudes away from captive facilities and could represent a viable solution in the coming months.

Charles Vinick, leader of the plan, said the location will replicate the mental engagement and nutrition the whales obtain from trainers, albeit in a much larger space. He said after the well-being of whales is fully assessed, which could take months|an extended period|