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Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie Botts is an cute little “ham sandwich”. The whale Orion – nicknamed “Onion” – is a large but very loyal companion. Zephyr has “ants in his pants” and wiggles like a wiggly creature. Lillooet is the “loving presence” with a kind nature.

Thirty enclosed beluga whales in a Canadian entertainment facility have become pawns in a disagreement between a closed attraction, local and national governments and welfare campaigners.

But those most familiar with the whales say the intense discussion over their future often overlooks the nuances of the whales who, after living their entire lives in enclosed habitats, have been carefully observed by the humans who work with them regularly.

After the Canadian government prevented the sale of the belugas to China, the controversial amusement park near Niagara Falls where they are held stated it would consider to put them down unless the federal government pays for the expense of their survival. The nation’s marine resources official has refused that request, placing the 30 whales in an ever more uncertain position.

Highly Cognitive Sea Creatures

Researchers say that beluga whales’ neuroanatomy, along with their mimicry abilities, cognitive challenges and social skills suggest they are remarkably smart creatures – something Kristy Burgess discovered first-hand.

Burgess spent three years as a marine mammal specialist, a position that involved earning the trust of the sea creatures.

“Developing those bonds over time takes a lot of dedication and a lot of care. At the beginning, they’re very unsure of you,” she said. “Over time, you gain reciprocal understanding. And they start being more open with you. It’s just so extraordinary and fulfilling.”

Burgess knew the whales were exceptionally cognitive, but she says she was nevertheless astounded by the subtleties and idiosyncrasies in their dispositions. She developed a particular love for two female belugas with different temperaments.

“Eve chose me. The other required effort,” she said. “Each changed the way I understand relationships.”

Public Concerns and Deteriorating Conditions

Her interaction with the whales evolved against a context of growing public opposition to their confinement.

During her three years at the facility, multiple belugas and the park’s single killer whale, the orca, died. In all, 19 belugas have perished at the park since recent years, a statistic which the park attributes to expected lifespan, but which activists say indicates the substandard environment in which they were housed.

The park did not admit visitors to the public over the recent season, but the former trainer says she witnessed firsthand effects of the shutdown. “Structural materials is falling apart from the enclosures because they’re in disrepair and not being fixed. The whales are exploratory and so they grab fragments and navigate with pieces in their jaws. It’s upsetting to see.”

The park did not comment to a inquiry, but in the past stated: “The whales … obtain far higher quality veterinary services and 24/7 supervision than any individual in the United Kingdom, or other places.”

Uncertain Future and Potential Resolutions

Burgess 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 park believed details of the death were disclosed to the news outlets and she was fired not long after.

The ambiguity over the whales’ future has left Burgess and current and former trainers in despair. She says the park’s threat to kill its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “extremely difficult” endeavor, adding any attempts to euthanize even a individual beluga would require “immense staff”, vehicles and heavy equipment.

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

Burgess advocates for requests for the whales to be taken promptly from the park, with its deteriorating pools and shrinking team.

In recent months, Canada’s government official turned down a bid to export the whales to China.

“Granting the application would have meant a perpetual life in captivity and a reversion to public entertainment,” the minister wrote. “As the public, we know that belugas should be in the wild, not in enclosures for our entertainment. I could not in ethical standing authorize an export that would perpetuate the treatment these belugas have endured.”

But Burgess said the official’s remarks indicate a more general lack of awareness of the facts of living conditions for belugas raised in confinement.

“The people needs to grasp these are whales that have spent their whole lives in enclosed habitats and they will need human care for the rest of their years,” she said. “People just don’t understand that it’s not as easy as saying ‘close it down’.”

Alternative Habitat and Ongoing Debate

As officials work to find a answer, suggestions have been put forward, some of which have little basis in reality. A suggested plan called for the belugas to be released into the wilds of Canada’s north – where whales are a important part of sustenance for local populations.

A suggested sanctuary in the region of eastern Canada, which has received government approval, has been most controversial. The future site, which includes a large area of enclosed sea water, doesn’t yet exist. Proponents remain hopeful that it could eventually represent a permanent answer for some of the whales.

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

Others say the prospect of a sanctuary indicates a broader global shift away from captive facilities and could represent a workable solution in the near future.

An official, director of the initiative, said the facility will mimic the intellectual stimulation and nutrition the whales receive from caretakers, albeit in a more expansive space. He said after the medical condition of whales is fully assessed, which could take months|an extended period|