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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie Botts is an charming small “sweetheart”. Orion – called “Onion” – is a sizeable but guardian-like companion. Another whale, Zephyr has “ants in his pants” and wiggles like a wiggly creature. Lillooet is the “loving presence” with a gentle spirit.

Thirty captive marine mammals in a Canadian amusement park have become pawns in a disagreement between a closed attraction, government authorities and advocacy groups.

But those closest to the whales say the impassioned debate over their fate often overlooks the nuances of the whales who, after living their entire lives in confinement, have been closely studied by the people who see them each day.

After the national authorities disallowed the export of the belugas to a foreign facility, the controversial amusement park near the famous falls where they are kept warned to put them down unless the federal government funds the cost of their care. The nation’s fisheries minister has refused that request, placing the thirty whales in an dangerously unstable position.

Highly Cognitive Marine Mammals

Experts say that beluga whales’ neuroanatomy, along with their vocal imitation skills, cognitive challenges and group interactions point to they are deeply intelligent animals – something Kristy Burgess learned personally.

She spent several years as a marine mammal specialist, a position that involved earning the trust of the marine predators.

“Developing those connections over time takes a lot of dedication and a lot of affection. At the beginning, they’re very cautious of you,” she said. “Eventually, you gain reciprocal understanding. And they start being more trusting with you. It’s just so magical and fulfilling.”

The trainer knew the whales were highly intelligent, but she says she was even so surprised by the subtleties and quirks in their characters. She formed a special affection for Eve and Cleopatra with opposing temperaments.

“Eve accepted me. Cleo made me earn it,” she said. “They transformed the way I understand bonding.”

Growing Opposition and Facility Decline

Her relationship with the whales progressed against a backdrop of rising activist criticism to their captivity.

During her three years at the facility, multiple belugas and the park’s one orca, the orca, succumbed. In all, nineteen belugas have perished at the park since recent years, a toll which the facility ascribes to age-related causes, but which advocates say reflects the poor conditions in which they were maintained.

The facility did not open to the guests over the summer, but Burgess says she witnessed firsthand results of the cessation. “Concrete is breaking off from the enclosures because they’re degrading and not being fixed. The whales are inquisitive and so they take pieces and move about with pieces in their jaws. It’s heartbreaking to see.”

The park did not comment to a request for comment, but earlier asserted: “The whales … obtain far higher quality health care and around the clock attention than any person in the UK, or other places.”

Fate in Limbo and Potential Resolutions

The former employee was terminated from the facility in early March following the death of Eos, an unwell beluga the caretakers had to put down. She said the park believed details of the incident were shared to the media and she was fired not long after.

The uncertainty over the whales’ outcome has left Burgess and current and former trainers in anguish. She says the facility’s ultimatum to end the lives of its whales is a bargaining chip and is a “practically unfeasible” task, adding any attempts to euthanize even a single beluga would require “immense staff”, trucks and machinery.

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

She supports demands for the whales to be transferred immediately from the facility, with its crumbling tanks and dwindling staff.

In the autumn, the nation’s fisheries minister turned down a bid to send the whales to China.

“Granting the request would have meant a perpetual life in enclosure and a return to display for amusement,” the minister commented. “As Canadians, we know that whales are meant for the ocean, not in tanks for our amusement. I could not in clear conscience permit an transfer that would perpetuate the treatment these belugas have suffered.”

But Burgess said the official’s statements reflect a wider lack of awareness of the circumstances of life for belugas born in captivity.

“The people needs to understand these are whales that have spent their whole lives in captivity and they will need constant supervision for the remainder of their lives,” she said. “People just don’t comprehend that it’s not as straightforward as saying ‘close it down’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Ongoing Debate

As officials attempt to find a resolution, proposals have surfaced, some of which have little basis in reality. An idea called for the belugas to be released into the wilds of the Arctic – where whales are a primary resource of sustenance for local populations.

A proposed protected area in the province of eastern Canada, which has received regulatory clearance, has been highly debated. The future facility, which includes 100 acres of protected cove, remains undeveloped. Advocates remain positive that it could in time represent a permanent solution for eight of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among caretakers she’s spoken with, there is “no trust there” about what she said is “only an experiment” in the whales’ well-being.

Others say the prospect of a refuge represents a broader global shift away from captive facilities and could represent a viable plan in the near future.

An official, leader of the plan, said the facility will mimic the mental engagement and nutrition the whales receive from caretakers, albeit in a more expansive area. He said after the medical condition of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|