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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie is an adorable little “sweetheart”. The whale Orion – called “Onion Ring” – is a big but fiercely protective friend. Zephyr has “ants in his pants” and moves like a wiggly creature. Lillooet the beluga is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a heart of gold.

A group of thirty enclosed beluga whales in a Canadian amusement park have become pawns in a tussle between a defunct facility, government authorities and advocacy groups.

But those working directly with the whales say the impassioned debate over their fate often ignores the nuances of the whales who, after growing up in confinement, have been closely studied by the humans who interact with them daily.

After the Canadian government prevented the export of the belugas to a foreign facility, the struggling amusement park near Niagara Falls where they are kept warned to euthanize them unless the authorities funds the expense of their survival. Canada’s fisheries minister has denied that ultimatum, placing the 30 whales in an increasingly precarious position.

Intelligent Marine Mammals

Scientists say that belugas’ neural makeup, along with their mimicry abilities, cognitive challenges and social skills suggest they are remarkably smart creatures – something one caretaker learned first-hand.

Burgess spent three years as a whale caretaker, a job that required 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 start, they’re very unsure of you,” she said. “Eventually, you gain reciprocal understanding. And they start being more trusting with you. It’s just so wonderful and rewarding.”

The trainer knew the whales were exceptionally cognitive, but she says she was nonetheless astounded by the nuances and quirks in their characters. She cultivated a deep bond for two female belugas with contrasting natures.

“One whale chose me. Cleo required effort,” she said. “They altered the way I understand connection.”

Growing Opposition and Facility Decline

Burgess’s connection with the whales progressed against a backdrop of growing public opposition to their confinement.

During her time at the facility, multiple belugas and the park’s one killer whale, the orca, succumbed. In total, nineteen belugas have died at the park since recent years, a toll which the park attributes to expected lifespan, but which advocates say reflects the poor conditions in which they were kept.

The park did not open to the guests over the recent season, but Burgess says she saw with her own eyes consequences of the closure. “Concrete is breaking off from the enclosures because they’re degrading and not being repaired. The whales are curious and so they grab fragments and move about with chunks in their jaws. It’s upsetting to see.”

The park did not respond to a inquiry, but earlier asserted: “The whales … receive far superior health care and constant care than any individual in the United Kingdom, or anywhere else.”

Uncertain Future and Potential Resolutions

Burgess was terminated from the park in recent months following the demise of a beluga, an sick beluga the caretakers had to euthanize. She said the park believed information of the incident were disclosed to the media and she was released not long after.

The uncertainty over the whales’ outcome has left her and other caretakers in distress. She says the park’s threat to kill its whales is a bargaining chip and is a “practically unfeasible” task, adding any efforts to put down even a single beluga would require “immense personnel”, equipment and machinery.

“It’s impossible in hell the employees would ever do it,” she said.

She supports requests for the whales to be taken immediately from the park, with its deteriorating pools and dwindling staff.

In recent months, the nation’s government official denied a bid to transfer the whales to an overseas location.

“Allowing the request would have meant a continued situation in captivity and a return to performance for audiences,” the official wrote. “As Canadians, we know that belugas should be in the wild, not in tanks for our amusement. I could not in good conscience permit an transfer that would perpetuate the conditions these belugas have endured.”

But the former trainer said the official’s statements reflect a wider misunderstanding of the facts of existence for belugas raised in confinement.

“The public needs to realize these are whales that have existed solely 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 straightforward as saying ‘close it down’.”

Alternative Habitat and Continuing Discussion

As decision makers struggle to find a solution, ideas have surfaced, some of which have questionable practicality. A suggested plan called for the belugas to be freed into the open waters of Canada’s north – where whales are a important part of sustenance for local populations.

A suggested protected area in the region of eastern Canada, which recently received official endorsement, has shown to be highly debated. The planned location, which includes a large area of penned in ocean, remains undeveloped. Supporters remain positive that it could in time represent a sustainable resolution for eight of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among caretakers she’s discussed with, there is “skepticism there” about what she said is “only an experiment” in the whales’ well-being.

Others say the idea of a sanctuary represents a broader global shift away from animal displays and could represent a viable approach in the coming months.

An official, director of the initiative, said the site will simulate the mental engagement and diet the whales receive from trainers, albeit in a more expansive environment. He said after the well-being of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|