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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie is an charming small “ham sandwich”. The whale Orion – nicknamed “Onion” – is a large but guardian-like friend. Zephyr has “constant motion” and sways like a worm. Lillooet the beluga is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a gentle spirit.

Thirty captive beluga whales in a Canadian amusement park have become pawns in a tussle between a shuttered park, government authorities and advocacy groups.

But those working directly with the whales say the impassioned controversy over their destiny often overlooks the nuances of the whales who, after growing up in captivity, have been thoroughly researched by the people who interact with them daily.

After the Canadian government blocked the sale of the belugas to China, the embattled attraction near Niagara Falls where they are held threatened to put them down unless the federal government pays for the cost of their care. Canada’s fisheries minister has denied that ultimatum, placing the 30 whales in an increasingly precarious position.

Intelligent Sea Creatures

Experts say that belugas’ brain structure, along with their vocal imitation skills, problem solving and communal behavior suggest they are remarkably smart creatures – something one caretaker observed personally.

Burgess spent three years as a marine mammal specialist, a job that entailed earning the trust of the aquatic animals.

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

Burgess knew the whales were exceptionally cognitive, but she says she was nonetheless amazed by the details and idiosyncrasies in their dispositions. She formed a particular love for two female belugas with different temperaments.

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

Growing Opposition and Facility Decline

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

During her tenure at the facility, seven belugas and the park’s single killer whale, Kiska, died. In total, 19 belugas have died at the park since recent years, a number which the facility links to age-related causes, but which campaigners say indicates the poor conditions in which they were kept.

The park did not operate to the public over the recent season, but Burgess says she witnessed firsthand results of the closure. “Structural materials is deteriorating from the enclosures because they’re falling apart and not being repaired. The whales are exploratory and so they grab fragments and swim around with chunks in their mouth. It’s upsetting to see.”

The facility did not reply to a inquiry, but in the past asserted: “The whales … obtain far higher quality health care and constant attention than any person in the United Kingdom, or anywhere else.”

Uncertain Future and Proposed Solutions

Burgess was terminated from the park in recent months following the passing of Eos, an sick beluga the park staff had to put down. She said the facility thought details of the incident were shared to the media and she was let go soon after.

The lack of clarity over the whales’ fate has left her and current and former trainers in despair. She says the park’s threat to kill its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “logistically impossible” undertaking, adding any attempts to put down even a single beluga would require “considerable staff”, equipment and specialized tools.

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

Burgess backs requests for the whales to be taken immediately from the facility, with its crumbling tanks and reduced personnel.

In the autumn, Canada’s government official rejected a request to export the whales to an overseas location.

“Allowing the proposal would have meant a continued situation in confinement and a reversion to public entertainment,” the official stated. “As society, we know that marine mammals are meant for the ocean, not in enclosures for our entertainment. I could not in good conscience authorize an relocation that would continue the treatment these belugas have suffered.”

But Burgess said the minister’s comments indicate a broader misunderstanding of the realities of living conditions for belugas raised in confinement.

“The public needs to realize these are whales that have existed solely in captivity and they will need human care for the rest of their years,” she said. “The public just don’t comprehend that it’s not as easy as saying ‘close it down’.”

Alternative Habitat and Continuing Discussion

As decision makers work to find a answer, ideas have been put forward, some of which have minimal feasibility. An idea called for the belugas to be freed into the wilds of the Arctic – where whales are a important part of food for Inuit communities.

A planned refuge in the province of eastern Canada, which now received official endorsement, has shown to be contentious. The future location, which includes extensive space of penned in ocean, doesn’t yet exist. Advocates remain hopeful that it could ultimately represent a permanent solution for eight of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among caretakers she’s consulted, there is “no trust there” about what she said is “simply an experiment” in the whales’ fate.

Some experts say the possibility of a sanctuary indicates a broader global shift away from zoos and aquariums and could represent a workable approach in the short term.

Charles Vinick, director of the plan, said the location will replicate the intellectual stimulation and nutrition the whales get from specialists, albeit in a much larger area. He said after the well-being of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|