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

A group of thirty enclosed beluga whales in a Canada-based 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 intense controversy over their destiny often ignores the individual traits of the whales who, after growing up in enclosed habitats, have been thoroughly researched by the people who interact with them daily.

After the national authorities prevented the transfer of the belugas to a foreign facility, the controversial attraction near Niagara Falls where they are housed threatened to end their lives unless the government covers the upkeep of their care. Canada’s fisheries minister has rejected that ultimatum, placing the thirty whales in an increasingly precarious situation.

Highly Cognitive Marine Mammals

Researchers say that belugas’ brain structure, along with their sound replication, problem solving and group interactions indicate they are remarkably smart creatures – something one caretaker discovered directly.

Burgess spent three years as a marine mammal specialist, a job that required earning the trust of the aquatic animals.

“Developing those bonds over time takes a lot of consistency and a lot of affection. At the outset, they’re very wary of you,” she said. “Over time, you gain shared confidence. And they start being more open with you. It’s just so magical and gratifying.”

Burgess knew the whales were very smart, but she says she was nevertheless amazed by the details and unique traits in their dispositions. She cultivated a special affection for two female belugas with contrasting temperaments.

“Eve accepted me. Cleo required effort,” she said. “Both transformed the way I perceive connection.”

Growing Opposition and Facility Decline

Her relationship with the whales developed against a context of growing public opposition to their enclosure.

During her three years at the facility, seven belugas and the park’s one killer whale, the orca, passed away. In total, nineteen belugas have died at the park since recent years, a toll which the park ascribes to expected lifespan, but which advocates say points to the poor conditions in which they were maintained.

The park did not admit visitors to the public over the summer, but Burgess says she witnessed firsthand effects of the closure. “Concrete is falling apart from the pools because they’re degrading and not being maintained. The whales are exploratory and so they grab fragments and navigate with pieces in their jaws. It’s upsetting to see.”

The park did not comment to a inquiry, but earlier asserted: “The whales … obtain far better health care and constant attention than any individual in the United Kingdom, or other places.”

Fate in Limbo and Potential Resolutions

The former employee was dismissed from the facility in recent months following the demise of Eos, an sick beluga the caretakers had to put down. She said the park suspected particulars of the incident were shared to the press and she was released soon after.

The uncertainty over the whales’ outcome has left her and other caretakers in distress. She says the park’s warning to euthanize its whales is a bargaining chip and is a “practically unfeasible” task, adding any plans to euthanize even a individual beluga would require “considerable staff”, vehicles and specialized tools.

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

Burgess supports calls for the whales to be taken right away from the park, with its failing enclosures and reduced personnel.

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

“Granting the proposal would have meant a perpetual situation in captivity and a reversion to performance for audiences,” the official wrote. “As Canadians, we know that whales are meant for the sea, not in pools for our enjoyment. I could not in good conscience authorize an export that would continue the conditions these belugas have endured.”

But Burgess said the official’s comments indicate a more general lack of awareness of the realities of existence for belugas born in captivity.

“The people needs to understand these are whales that have existed solely in captivity and they will need human care for the rest of their years,” she said. “People just don’t comprehend that it’s not as simple as saying ‘end operations’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Continuing Discussion

As decision makers struggle to find a resolution, suggestions have surfaced, some of which have little basis in reality. A suggested plan called for the belugas to be freed into the wilds of the Arctic – where whales are a primary resource of food for local populations.

A planned protected area in the region of Nova Scotia, which now received government approval, has proven contentious. The prospective location, which includes a large area of penned in ocean, doesn’t yet exist. Proponents remain optimistic that it could ultimately represent a permanent resolution for some of the whales.

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

Others say the possibility of a protected habitat indicates a broader global shift away from captive facilities and could represent a viable approach in the near future.

An official, head of the initiative, said the site will replicate the intellectual stimulation and diet the whales receive from caretakers, albeit in a significantly bigger space. He said after the health of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|