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Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie Botts is an adorable little “sweetheart”. The whale Orion – nicknamed “Onion” – is a large but fiercely protective companion. Another whale, Zephyr has “constant motion” and moves like a wiggly creature. Lillooet the beluga is the “most affectionate” with a kind nature.

Thirty captive marine mammals in a Canadian amusement park have become pawns in a disagreement between a shuttered park, public officials and advocacy groups.

But those closest to the whales say the intense discussion over their future often ignores the nuances of the whales who, after spending their lives in enclosed habitats, have been closely studied by the caretakers who see them each day.

After the national authorities disallowed the export of the belugas to a foreign facility, the embattled facility near the famous falls where they are held warned to end their lives unless the government covers the upkeep of their care. The nation’s fisheries minister has rejected that ultimatum, placing the 30 whales in an dangerously unstable situation.

Highly Cognitive Marine Mammals

Researchers say that beluga whales’ neuroanatomy, along with their mimicry abilities, problem solving and group interactions point to they are deeply intelligent animals – something Kristy Burgess observed first-hand.

Burgess spent a significant period as a marine mammal specialist, a job that involved gaining confidence of the sea creatures.

“Establishing those bonds over time takes a lot of consistency and a lot of care. At the outset, they’re very wary of you,” she said. “Over time, you gain shared confidence. And they start being more trusting with you. It’s just so wonderful and rewarding.”

Burgess knew the whales were highly intelligent, but she says she was nonetheless surprised by the details and unique traits in their personalities. She cultivated a deep bond for a pair of whales with opposing personalities.

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

Growing Opposition and Deteriorating Conditions

Burgess’s relationship with the whales progressed against a backdrop of increasing societal concern to their enclosure.

During her tenure at the attraction, seven belugas and the park’s one killer whale, the orca, succumbed. In total, 19 belugas have died at the park since recent years, a number which the park attributes to natural mortality, but which advocates say reflects the poor conditions in which they were housed.

The park did not open to the visitors over the recent season, but Burgess says she saw with her own eyes consequences of the shutdown. “Structural materials is deteriorating from the pools because they’re degrading and not being maintained. The whales are inquisitive and so they grab fragments and navigate with chunks in their mouth. It’s upsetting to see.”

The facility did not reply to a inquiry, but in the past stated: “The whales … get far better health care and around the clock supervision than any individual in the UK, or anywhere else.”

Fate in Limbo and Potential Resolutions

The former employee was fired from the facility in early March following the death of Eos, an sick beluga the employees had to humanely kill. She said the park thought details of the incident were shared to the press and she was let go not long after.

The ambiguity over the whales’ outcome has left her and other caretakers in anguish. She says the park’s threat to kill its whales is a leverage tool and is a “practically unfeasible” task, adding any attempts to put down even a single beluga would require “significant staff”, equipment and heavy equipment.

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

She advocates for demands for the whales to be transferred right away from the park, with its crumbling tanks and dwindling staff.

In the autumn, Canada’s government official denied a proposal to send the whales to an overseas location.

“Allowing the application would have meant a perpetual life in confinement and a return to performance for audiences,” the official wrote. “As society, we know that belugas should be in the ocean, not in pools for our enjoyment. I could not in clear conscience approve an relocation that would perpetuate the situation these belugas have experienced.”

But Burgess said the official’s statements indicate a broader incorrect perception of the facts of existence for belugas raised in confinement.

“The public needs to grasp these are whales that have existed solely in enclosed habitats and they will need ongoing assistance for the remainder of their lives,” she said. “Many just don’t comprehend that it’s not as simple as saying ‘end operations’.”

Alternative Habitat and Ongoing Debate

As decision makers work to find a solution, suggestions have surfaced, some of which have little basis in reality. A suggested plan called for the belugas to be freed into the open waters of Canada’s north – where whales are a key source of nourishment for Indigenous peoples.

A proposed protected area in the province of eastern Canada, which recently received official endorsement, has been most controversial. The prospective location, which includes extensive space of enclosed sea water, is not yet built. Supporters remain hopeful that it could in time represent a sustainable answer for eight of the whales.

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

Different voices say the prospect of a refuge indicates a broader global shift away from zoos and aquariums and could represent a workable solution in the coming months.

Charles Vinick, head of the sanctuary project, said the site will simulate the intellectual stimulation and diet the whales obtain from trainers, albeit in a significantly bigger space. He said after the health of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|