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Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie Botts is an adorable small “playful character”. The whale Orion – called “Onion Ring” – is a sizeable but very loyal companion. Zephyr has “constant motion” and moves like a wiggly creature. Lillooet the beluga is the “loving presence” with a heart of gold.

Thirty captive beluga whales in a Canada-based amusement park have become pawns in a struggle between a defunct facility, public officials and advocacy groups.

But those most familiar with the whales say the intense discussion over their fate often fails to consider the nuances of the whales who, after growing up in confinement, have been closely studied by the humans who see them each day.

After the Canadian government disallowed the sale of the belugas to China, the struggling attraction near Niagara Falls where they are kept threatened to euthanize them unless the government pays for the upkeep of their survival. The nation’s fisheries minister has denied that demand, placing the 30 whales in an ever more uncertain situation.

Intelligent Marine Mammals

Researchers say that beluga whales’ brain structure, along with their sound replication, problem solving and communal behavior point to they are deeply intelligent animals – something one caretaker discovered personally.

She spent a significant period as a whale caretaker, a role that required building relationships of the sea creatures.

“Developing those connections over time takes a lot of dedication and a lot of love. At the start, they’re very wary of you,” she said. “In time, you gain shared confidence. And they start being more trusting with you. It’s just so extraordinary and rewarding.”

Burgess knew the whales were very smart, but she says she was even so astounded by the details and unique traits in their characters. She cultivated a special affection for Eve and Cleopatra with opposing natures.

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

Public Concerns and Facility Decline

Her connection with the whales developed against a background of growing public opposition to their confinement.

During her three years at the park, seven belugas and the park’s single orca, Kiska, succumbed. In total, nineteen belugas have perished at the park since recent years, a number which the park attributes to natural mortality, but which campaigners say reflects the substandard environment in which they were maintained.

The facility did not operate to the public over the summer, but Burgess says she saw with her own eyes consequences of the closure. “Concrete is deteriorating from the enclosures because they’re degrading and not being repaired. The whales are curious and so they grab fragments and swim around with pieces in their mouth. It’s upsetting to see.”

The park did not comment to a questionnaire, but previously stated: “The whales … obtain far higher quality medical attention and around the clock attention than any human in the United Kingdom, or other places.”

Uncertain Future and Proposed Solutions

The former employee was dismissed from the facility in the spring following the passing of Eos, an ailing beluga the caretakers had to put down. She said the facility believed particulars of the death were shared to the media and she was released not long after.

The uncertainty over the whales’ future has left Burgess and staff members in anguish. She says the facility’s warning to kill its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “extremely difficult” undertaking, adding any plans to put down even a single beluga would require “considerable manpower”, vehicles and specialized tools.

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

She backs demands for the whales to be removed promptly from the facility, with its failing enclosures and dwindling staff.

In recent months, Canada’s government official rejected a bid to transfer the whales to China.

“To approve the proposal would have meant a ongoing situation in enclosure and a return to performance for audiences,” the minister commented. “As the public, we know that belugas are meant for the sea, not in pools for our entertainment. I could not in ethical standing approve an transfer that would prolong the situation these belugas have experienced.”

But Burgess said the official’s comments reflect a more general lack of awareness of the realities of living conditions for belugas raised in confinement.

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

Alternative Habitat and Ongoing Debate

As authorities attempt to find a solution, suggestions have been put forward, some of which have questionable practicality. An idea called for the belugas to be released into the wilds of the Arctic – where whales are a important part of food for Indigenous peoples.

A proposed protected area in the region of Nova Scotia, which recently received regulatory clearance, has shown to be most controversial. The prospective location, which includes extensive space of protected cove, remains undeveloped. Proponents remain hopeful that it could ultimately represent a sustainable answer for some of the whales.

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

Others say the prospect of a refuge represents a worldwide trend away from captive facilities and could represent a workable solution in the near future.

Charles Vinick, head of the initiative, said the site will mimic the mental engagement and feeding regimen the whales receive from caretakers, albeit in a more expansive space. He said after the well-being of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|