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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie Botts is an adorable small “ham sandwich”. The whale Orion – called “Onion Ring” – is a large but guardian-like friend. Another whale, Zephyr has “constant motion” and moves like a worm. Lillooet the beluga is the “loving presence” with a gentle spirit.

Thirty captive marine mammals in a Canada-based entertainment facility have become pawns in a tussle between a shuttered park, public officials and animal rights activists.

But those most familiar with the whales say the heated debate over their future often fails to consider the complexities of the whales who, after spending their lives in captivity, have been closely studied by the people who see them each day.

After the federal government blocked the export of the belugas to China, the controversial facility near Niagara Falls where they are kept threatened to euthanize them unless the federal government funds the expense of their care. The nation’s fisheries minister has rejected that ultimatum, placing the 30 whales in an dangerously unstable situation.

Intelligent Marine Mammals

Scientists 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 learned personally.

She spent three years as a beluga trainer, a role that involved building relationships of the marine predators.

“Establishing those bonds over time takes a lot of dedication and a lot of affection. At the beginning, they’re very cautious of you,” she said. “Eventually, you gain mutual trust. And they start being more vulnerable with you. It’s just so extraordinary and rewarding.”

Burgess knew the whales were highly intelligent, but she says she was nevertheless surprised by the details and idiosyncrasies in their characters. She developed a deep bond for Eve and Cleopatra with opposing personalities.

“Eve chose me. Cleo made me earn it,” she said. “Each changed the way I view connection.”

Public Concerns and Deteriorating Conditions

Burgess’s relationship with the whales evolved against a background of rising activist criticism to their enclosure.

During her time at the facility, seven belugas and the park’s single killer whale, the orca, succumbed. In total, nineteen belugas have died at the park since recent years, a number which the park ascribes to expected lifespan, but which campaigners say points to the substandard environment in which they were housed.

The facility did not open to the visitors over the recent season, but Burgess says she witnessed firsthand effects of the closure. “Structural materials is falling apart from the enclosures because they’re degrading and not being fixed. The whales are inquisitive and so they grab fragments and navigate with fragments in their jaws. It’s heartbreaking to see.”

The park did not respond to a questionnaire, but earlier stated: “The whales … get far superior health care and constant supervision than any individual in the Britain, or elsewhere.”

Fate in Limbo and Potential Resolutions

Burgess was dismissed from the facility in recent months following the death of Eos, an sick beluga the caretakers had to euthanize. She said the facility thought information of the death were shared to the press and she was fired not long after.

The uncertainty over the whales’ fate has left Burgess and other caretakers in despair. She says the facility’s threat to end the lives of its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “extremely difficult” endeavor, adding any plans to humanely kill even a individual beluga would require “immense staff”, trucks and specialized tools.

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

She backs requests for the whales to be taken immediately from the park, with its crumbling tanks and dwindling staff.

In late September, the nation’s government official turned down a proposal to export the whales to an overseas location.

“Granting the request would have meant a perpetual existence in confinement and a reversion to public entertainment,” the official stated. “As society, we know that whales belong in the sea, not in pools for our entertainment. I could not in clear conscience permit an transfer that would perpetuate the situation these belugas have suffered.”

But the former trainer said the minister’s comments indicate a more general misunderstanding of the circumstances of living conditions for belugas living their whole lives in enclosures.

“The society needs to grasp these are whales that have lived entirely in enclosed habitats and they will need human care for the foreseeable future,” she said. “People just don’t comprehend that it’s not as simple as saying ‘end operations’.”

Alternative Habitat and Continuing Discussion

As authorities attempt to find a answer, proposals have emerged, some of which have little basis in reality. An idea called for the belugas to be let go into the open waters of the Arctic – where whales are a primary resource of sustenance for Inuit communities.

A suggested sanctuary in the province of eastern Canada, which has received official endorsement, has proven highly debated. The planned location, which includes a large area of penned in ocean, is not yet built. Advocates remain hopeful that it could ultimately represent a sustainable resolution for some of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among trainers she’s discussed with, there is “no trust there” about what she said is “simply an experiment” in the whales’ fate.

Some experts say the idea of a protected habitat reflects a worldwide trend away from animal displays and could represent a viable approach in the coming months.

Charles Vinick, director of the plan, said the facility will mimic the mental engagement and nutrition the whales get from caretakers, albeit in a much larger environment. He said after the medical condition of whales is completely examined, which could take months|an extended period|