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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie is an cute small “ham sandwich”. Orion – nicknamed “Onion” – is a sizeable but guardian-like friend. Another whale, Zephyr has “constant motion” and sways like a worm. Lillooet the beluga is the “loving presence” with a heart of gold.

A group of thirty captive beluga whales in a Canadian amusement park have been entangled in a tussle between a closed attraction, government authorities and advocacy groups.

But those working directly with the whales say the intense controversy over their future often fails to consider the nuances of the whales who, after living their entire lives in captivity, have been closely studied by the humans who interact with them daily.

After the Canadian government blocked the transfer of the belugas to China, the struggling facility near Niagara Falls where they are housed warned to end their lives unless the authorities funds the cost of keeping them alive. The nation’s marine resources official has denied that request, placing the 30 whales in an ever more uncertain position.

Highly Cognitive Sea Creatures

Experts say that beluga whales’ brain structure, along with their vocal imitation skills, problem solving and social skills point to they are remarkably smart mammals – something Kristy Burgess learned personally.

Burgess spent a significant period as a marine mammal specialist, a position that entailed earning the trust of the marine predators.

“Building up those bonds over time takes a lot of regularity and a lot of affection. At the beginning, they’re very unsure of you,” she said. “In time, you gain reciprocal understanding. And they start being more open with you. It’s just so wonderful and fulfilling.”

Burgess knew the whales were highly intelligent, but she says she was nevertheless amazed by the nuances and unique traits in their dispositions. She developed a special affection for two female belugas with different temperaments.

“One whale chose me. The other made me earn it,” she said. “Each altered the way I understand connection.”

Growing Opposition and Facility Decline

Burgess’s interaction with the whales progressed against a background of growing public opposition to their captivity.

During her time at the attraction, seven belugas and the park’s single killer whale, the orca, died. In all, 19 belugas have died at the park since recent years, a number which the park links to natural mortality, but which campaigners say points to the poor conditions in which they were maintained.

The facility did not operate to the guests over the summer, but the former trainer says she witnessed firsthand results of the cessation. “Concrete is breaking off from the enclosures because they’re falling apart and not being maintained. The whales are curious and so they pick it up and navigate with fragments in their jaws. It’s distressing to see.”

The park did not reply to a request for comment, but earlier stated: “The whales … receive far higher quality health care and 24/7 attention than any individual in the United Kingdom, or anywhere else.”

Fate in Limbo and Proposed Solutions

Burgess was terminated from the facility in recent months following the passing of Eos, an unwell beluga the caretakers had to put down. She said the facility believed information of the death were shared to the news outlets and she was fired soon after.

The ambiguity over the whales’ outcome has left Burgess and current and former trainers in anguish. She says the park’s warning to kill its whales is a bargaining chip and is a “extremely difficult” task, adding any efforts to put down even a single beluga would require “considerable personnel”, vehicles and heavy equipment.

“It cannot happen in hell the caretakers would ever do it,” she said.

She advocates for calls for the whales to be removed immediately from the facility, with its failing enclosures and dwindling staff.

In late September, Canada’s fisheries minister rejected a request to export the whales to China.

“Allowing the proposal would have meant a continued existence in captivity and a reversion to public entertainment,” the official commented. “As society, we know that whales should be in the sea, not in enclosures for our amusement. I could not in ethical standing authorize an relocation that would prolong the situation these belugas have experienced.”

But the former trainer said the official’s statements reflect a wider misunderstanding of the facts of life for belugas born in captivity.

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

Sanctuary Proposal and Continuing Discussion

As authorities struggle to find a resolution, 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 open waters of the Arctic – where whales are a primary resource of food for local populations.

A proposed sanctuary in the region of eastern Canada, which has received government approval, has been most controversial. The prospective location, which includes a large area of penned in ocean, is not yet built. Supporters remain optimistic that it could in time represent a long term answer for eight of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among staff she’s discussed with, there is “no trust there” about what she said is “merely an untested concept” in the whales’ fate.

Different voices say the possibility of a sanctuary indicates a broader global shift away from zoos and aquariums and could represent a feasible solution in the coming months.

The project lead, director of the plan, said the facility will replicate the cognitive activities and feeding regimen the whales get from specialists, albeit in a much larger space. He said after the health of whales is fully assessed, which could take months|an extended period|