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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie is an adorable small “ham sandwich”. The whale Orion – called “Onion” – is a big but fiercely protective companion. Zephyr has “constant motion” and moves like a worm. Lillooet the beluga is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a heart of gold.

A group of thirty captive marine mammals in a Canada-based amusement park have been entangled in a struggle between a defunct facility, public officials and animal rights activists.

But those closest to the whales say the impassioned discussion over their destiny often ignores the complexities of the whales who, after living their entire lives in confinement, have been closely studied by the caretakers who work with them regularly.

After the Canadian government blocked the sale of the belugas to a foreign facility, the struggling facility near the famous falls where they are kept threatened to put them down unless the federal government covers the cost of keeping them alive. The nation’s marine resources official has refused that ultimatum, placing the 30 whales in an ever more uncertain position.

Highly Cognitive Sea Creatures

Scientists say that belugas’ neuroanatomy, along with their mimicry abilities, problem solving and social skills suggest they are deeply intelligent mammals – something Kristy Burgess discovered personally.

She spent three years as a marine mammal specialist, a job that entailed building relationships of the marine predators.

“Establishing those connections over time takes a lot of dedication and a lot of care. At the outset, they’re very cautious of you,” she said. “In time, you gain shared confidence. And they start being more trusting with you. It’s just so magical and gratifying.”

Burgess knew the whales were very smart, but she says she was nevertheless surprised by the nuances and quirks in their personalities. She cultivated a particular love for two female belugas with different natures.

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

Public Concerns and Facility Decline

Burgess’s relationship with the whales developed against a backdrop of rising activist criticism to their captivity.

During her three years at the attraction, multiple belugas and the park’s one orca, the orca, passed away. In total, nineteen belugas have died at the park since recent years, a statistic which the facility ascribes to expected lifespan, but which advocates say points to the poor conditions in which they were housed.

The facility did not admit visitors to the public over the summer, but Burgess says she witnessed firsthand consequences of the cessation. “Concrete is deteriorating from the enclosures because they’re degrading and not being repaired. The whales are curious and so they take pieces and navigate with chunks in their jaws. It’s heartbreaking to see.”

The park did not respond to a questionnaire, but earlier claimed: “The whales … obtain far higher quality veterinary services and around the clock attention than any individual in the United Kingdom, or anywhere else.”

Uncertain Future and Proposed Solutions

The former employee was fired from the park in early March following the demise of a beluga, an sick beluga the park staff had to euthanize. She said the facility thought details of the death were shared to the media and she was let go soon after.

The ambiguity over the whales’ outcome has left her and staff members in distress. She says the facility’s ultimatum to euthanize its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “extremely difficult” endeavor, adding any plans to humanely kill even a single beluga would require “considerable manpower”, trucks and heavy equipment.

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

She supports requests for the whales to be taken promptly from the park, with its failing enclosures and shrinking team.

In late September, the nation’s fisheries minister turned down a request to export the whales to an overseas location.

“To approve the application would have meant a ongoing existence in enclosure and a reversion to public entertainment,” the minister wrote. “As society, we know that marine mammals are meant for the sea, not in pools for our amusement. I could not in clear conscience approve an relocation that would perpetuate the conditions these belugas have endured.”

But the former trainer said the minister’s statements reflect a more general misunderstanding of the realities of existence for belugas living their whole lives in enclosures.

“The people needs to grasp these are whales that have existed solely in captivity and they will need constant supervision for the rest of their years,” she said. “The public just don’t understand that it’s not as easy as saying ‘end operations’.”

Alternative Habitat and Ongoing Debate

As decision makers attempt to find a resolution, ideas have emerged, some of which have questionable practicality. One proposal called for the belugas to be freed into the open waters of the Arctic – where whales are a key source of sustenance for local populations.

A proposed protected area in the province of Nova Scotia, which recently received regulatory clearance, has been contentious. The future location, which includes 100 acres of protected cove, remains undeveloped. Advocates remain optimistic that it could eventually represent a permanent resolution for some of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among trainers she’s consulted, there is “no trust there” about what she said is “simply an untested concept” in the whales’ future.

Some experts say the prospect of a protected habitat reflects a broader global shift away from zoos and aquariums and could represent a feasible solution in the near future.

Charles Vinick, director of the sanctuary project, said the site will mimic the mental engagement and feeding regimen the whales obtain from trainers, albeit in a significantly bigger environment. He said after the well-being of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|