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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie is an cute little “playful character”. Orion – nicknamed “Onion Ring” – is a large but guardian-like companion. Zephyr has “constant motion” and moves like a wiggly creature. Lillooet is the “most affectionate” with a heart of gold.

A group of thirty enclosed marine mammals in a Canadian amusement park have been caught in a struggle between a shuttered park, government authorities and welfare campaigners.

But those closest to the whales say the impassioned debate over their destiny often overlooks the nuances of the whales who, after living their entire lives in enclosed habitats, have been thoroughly researched by the humans who see them each day.

After the Canadian government blocked the transfer of the belugas to China, the controversial attraction near Niagara Falls where they are housed threatened to euthanize them unless the government funds the upkeep of their survival. Canada’s marine resources official has denied that request, placing the 30 whales in an dangerously unstable circumstance.

Highly Cognitive Marine Mammals

Experts say that belugas’ neural makeup, along with their sound replication, cognitive challenges and social skills suggest they are deeply intelligent creatures – something a former trainer discovered first-hand.

She spent several years as a marine mammal specialist, a job that involved gaining confidence of the marine predators.

“Establishing those connections over time takes a lot of regularity and a lot of love. At the outset, they’re very unsure of you,” she said. “Eventually, you gain shared confidence. And they start being more trusting with you. It’s just so wonderful and fulfilling.”

Burgess knew the whales were very smart, but she says she was nonetheless astounded by the nuances and unique traits in their dispositions. She formed a deep bond for a pair of whales with contrasting natures.

“One whale accepted me. The other required effort,” she said. “Both changed the way I perceive connection.”

Growing Opposition and Deteriorating Conditions

Her connection with the whales evolved against a backdrop of increasing societal concern to their enclosure.

During her time at the attraction, multiple belugas and the park’s single orca, the orca, passed away. In all, nineteen belugas have perished at the park since recent years, a toll which the facility ascribes to age-related causes, but which campaigners say reflects the substandard environment in which they were housed.

The facility did not admit visitors to the guests over the recent season, but Burgess says she witnessed firsthand results of the closure. “Concrete is breaking off from the enclosures because they’re degrading and not being fixed. The whales are exploratory and so they take pieces and move about with chunks in their jaws. It’s upsetting to see.”

The facility did not reply to a inquiry, but previously stated: “The whales … obtain far better health care and constant supervision than any person in the Britain, or elsewhere.”

Uncertain Future and Proposed Solutions

Burgess was dismissed from the park in the spring following the demise of a beluga, an ailing beluga the employees had to put down. She said the park believed particulars of the death were leaked to the news outlets and she was fired shortly thereafter.

The uncertainty over the whales’ outcome has left Burgess and current and former trainers in anguish. She says the facility’s threat to end the lives of its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “logistically impossible” task, adding any efforts to euthanize even a individual beluga would require “significant manpower”, vehicles and specialized tools.

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

She supports demands for the whales to be removed promptly from the facility, with its failing enclosures and reduced personnel.

In recent months, Canada’s fisheries minister denied a request to transfer the whales to an overseas location.

“To approve the application would have meant a ongoing life in confinement and a return to performance for audiences,” the minister commented. “As Canadians, we know that marine mammals should be in the sea, not in tanks for our enjoyment. I could not in ethical standing approve an export that would continue the situation these belugas have suffered.”

But Burgess said the minister’s remarks reveal a more general incorrect perception of the realities of life for belugas living their whole lives in enclosures.

“The public needs to realize these are whales that have spent their whole lives in enclosed habitats and they will need constant supervision for the rest of their years,” she said. “People just don’t comprehend that it’s not as simple as saying ‘end operations’.”

Alternative Habitat and Ongoing Debate

As officials attempt to find a solution, suggestions have emerged, some of which have questionable practicality. A suggested plan called for the belugas to be let go into the natural habitat of Canada’s north – where whales are a primary resource of sustenance for Indigenous peoples.

A planned refuge in the province of eastern Canada, which has received official endorsement, has shown to be highly debated. The prospective location, which includes extensive space of protected cove, is not yet built. Advocates remain optimistic that it could in time represent a permanent solution for some of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among staff she’s consulted, there is “skepticism there” about what she said is “simply an experiment” in the whales’ well-being.

Some experts say the possibility of a protected habitat reflects a changing attitudes away from animal displays and could represent a viable plan in the near future.

An official, head of the plan, said the site will simulate the intellectual stimulation and feeding regimen the whales obtain from specialists, albeit in a much larger area. He said after the well-being of whales is completely examined, which could take months|an extended period|