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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie is an charming small “sweetheart”. The whale Orion – nicknamed “Onion” – is a big but fiercely protective friend. Another whale, Zephyr has “constant motion” and moves like a worm. Lillooet the beluga is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a gentle spirit.

A group of thirty captive marine mammals in a Canadian amusement park have been entangled in a tussle between a defunct facility, public officials and advocacy groups.

But those most familiar with the whales say the impassioned controversy over their destiny often ignores the complexities of the whales who, after growing up in enclosed habitats, have been carefully observed by the caretakers who work with them regularly.

After the Canadian government disallowed the transfer of the belugas to China, the embattled attraction near Niagara Falls where they are held threatened to end their lives unless the government pays for the upkeep of their care. The nation’s fisheries minister has refused that ultimatum, placing the 30 whales in an increasingly precarious position.

Intelligent Sea Creatures

Scientists say that beluga whales’ neural makeup, along with their sound replication, problem solving and social skills point to they are deeply intelligent mammals – something Kristy Burgess discovered first-hand.

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

“Establishing those relationships over time takes a lot of consistency and a lot of care. At the outset, they’re very cautious of you,” she said. “Over time, you gain reciprocal understanding. And they start being more vulnerable with you. It’s just so extraordinary and rewarding.”

The trainer knew the whales were very smart, but she says she was nevertheless astounded by the subtleties and idiosyncrasies in their characters. She developed a particular love for two female belugas with contrasting natures.

“Eve chose me. The other made me earn it,” she said. “Both altered the way I understand connection.”

Public Concerns and Facility Decline

Her interaction with the whales evolved against a backdrop of rising activist criticism to their captivity.

During her time at the park, seven belugas and the park’s one orca, the orca, died. In total, 19 belugas have died at the park since recent years, a statistic which the park attributes to age-related causes, but which campaigners say reflects the poor conditions in which they were kept.

The park did not operate to the visitors over the summer, but the former trainer says she saw with her own eyes consequences of the shutdown. “Concrete is falling apart from the pools because they’re degrading and not being maintained. The whales are exploratory and so they pick it up and move about with chunks in their jaws. It’s heartbreaking to see.”

The park did not respond to a questionnaire, but previously claimed: “The whales … get far higher quality medical attention and around the clock attention than any human in the UK, or anywhere else.”

Uncertain Future and Potential Resolutions

The former employee was dismissed from the facility in recent months following the passing of Eos, an unwell beluga the park staff had to put down. She said the park believed information of the death were disclosed to the media and she was fired shortly thereafter.

The lack of clarity over the whales’ future has left Burgess and staff members in despair. She says the park’s ultimatum to euthanize its whales is a leverage tool and is a “practically unfeasible” undertaking, adding any plans to euthanize even a one beluga would require “significant manpower”, trucks and specialized tools.

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

She supports demands for the whales to be taken right away from the facility, with its crumbling tanks and dwindling staff.

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

“To approve the proposal would have meant a ongoing situation in captivity and a return to public entertainment,” the official wrote. “As society, we know that whales are meant for the sea, not in pools for our enjoyment. I could not in clear conscience permit an relocation that would prolong the conditions these belugas have endured.”

But the former trainer said the official’s statements reveal a broader misunderstanding of the realities of existence for belugas living their whole lives in enclosures.

“The public needs to grasp these are whales that have lived entirely in confinement and they will need constant supervision 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 solution, proposals have surfaced, some of which have little basis in reality. A suggested plan called for the belugas to be freed into the open waters of the Arctic – where whales are a key source of nourishment for Indigenous peoples.

A proposed sanctuary in the region of Nova Scotia, which has received government approval, has shown to be contentious. The planned site, which includes 100 acres of enclosed sea water, is not yet built. Advocates remain hopeful that it could eventually represent a permanent answer for a number of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among staff she’s consulted, there is “doubts there” about what she said is “merely an experiment” in the whales’ future.

Different voices say the idea of a sanctuary indicates a changing attitudes away from zoos and aquariums and could represent a viable solution in the near future.

The project lead, head of the sanctuary project, said the site will mimic the cognitive activities and diet the whales get from specialists, albeit in a significantly bigger environment. He said after the medical condition of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|