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Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie Botts is an charming small “sweetheart”. The whale Orion – nicknamed “Onion” – is a big but guardian-like companion. Another whale, Zephyr has “ants in his pants” and moves like a worm. Lillooet is the “most affectionate” with a heart of gold.

Thirty captive marine mammals in a Canada-based amusement park have become pawns in a disagreement between a defunct facility, local and national governments and animal rights activists.

But those closest to the whales say the intense discussion over their future often ignores the nuances of the whales who, after living their entire lives in confinement, have been thoroughly researched by the humans who interact with them daily.

After the federal government prevented the sale of the belugas to a foreign facility, the controversial attraction near Niagara Falls where they are kept stated it would consider to put them down unless the federal government funds the upkeep of keeping them alive. Canada’s marine resources official has refused that request, placing the thirty whales in an increasingly precarious situation.

Intelligent Marine Mammals

Scientists say that belugas’ neural makeup, along with their mimicry abilities, problem solving and group interactions point to they are highly cognitive creatures – something Kristy Burgess observed first-hand.

She spent three years as a whale caretaker, a job that involved gaining confidence of the aquatic animals.

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

The trainer knew the whales were very smart, but she says she was even so astounded by the details and unique traits in their personalities. She formed a particular love for Eve and Cleopatra with opposing personalities.

“One whale chose me. The other made me earn it,” she said. “Both transformed the way I perceive relationships.”

Public Concerns and Deteriorating Conditions

Her relationship with the whales progressed against a context of increasing societal concern to their captivity.

During her tenure at the park, multiple belugas and the park’s single killer whale, the orca, passed away. In all, nineteen belugas have died at the park since 2019, a statistic which the facility ascribes to expected lifespan, but which campaigners say points to the poor conditions in which they were kept.

The facility did not admit visitors to the guests over the recent season, but the former trainer says she witnessed firsthand consequences of the closure. “Structural materials is deteriorating from the enclosures because they’re falling apart and not being repaired. The whales are inquisitive and so they take pieces and move about with chunks in their jaws. It’s upsetting to see.”

The facility did not respond to a request for comment, but earlier asserted: “The whales … get far superior medical attention and around the clock attention than any person in the Britain, or other places.”

Uncertain Future and Potential Resolutions

Burgess was dismissed from the park in early March following the passing of a beluga, an ailing beluga the park staff had to put down. She said the facility suspected information of the death were shared to the media and she was let go soon after.

The uncertainty over the whales’ fate has left Burgess and current and former trainers in anguish. She says the park’s threat to euthanize its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “extremely difficult” undertaking, adding any efforts to put down even a single beluga would require “immense personnel”, trucks and machinery.

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

She backs requests for the whales to be removed promptly from the park, with its crumbling tanks and shrinking team.

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

“Allowing the application would have meant a ongoing existence in captivity and a return to performance for audiences,” the minister wrote. “As the public, we know that belugas should be in the wild, not in pools for our enjoyment. I could not in ethical standing approve an transfer that would prolong the treatment these belugas have endured.”

But the former trainer said the official’s remarks reveal a broader lack of awareness of the facts of life for belugas born in captivity.

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

Alternative Habitat and Continuing Discussion

As officials struggle to find a resolution, suggestions have surfaced, some of which have minimal feasibility. A suggested plan called for the belugas to be released into the natural habitat of Canada’s north – where whales are a important part of food for Indigenous peoples.

A suggested sanctuary in the province of eastern Canada, which recently received official endorsement, has been most controversial. The planned site, which includes a large area of penned in ocean, remains undeveloped. Advocates remain optimistic that it could in time represent a permanent solution for a number of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among trainers she’s discussed with, there is “skepticism there” about what she said is “merely an trial” in the whales’ fate.

Others say the prospect of a refuge reflects a worldwide trend away from animal displays and could represent a feasible solution in the coming months.

Charles Vinick, head of the plan, said the facility will replicate the intellectual stimulation and diet the whales receive from trainers, albeit in a more expansive area. He said after the medical condition of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|