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Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie is an adorable little “playful character”. The whale Orion – nicknamed “Onion Ring” – is a big but fiercely protective companion. Another whale, Zephyr has “constant motion” and sways like a worm. Lillooet is the “most affectionate” with a gentle spirit.

Thirty captive marine mammals in a Canadian amusement park have been caught in a tussle between a closed attraction, public officials and animal rights activists.

But those closest to the whales say the intense debate over their fate often fails to consider the complexities of the whales who, after spending their lives in enclosed habitats, have been carefully observed by the people who work with them regularly.

After the federal government disallowed the transfer of the belugas to a foreign facility, the embattled amusement park near Niagara Falls where they are held stated it would consider to end their lives unless the government covers the cost of their survival. The nation’s fisheries minister has rejected that ultimatum, placing the 30 whales in an increasingly precarious position.

Intelligent Marine Mammals

Scientists say that beluga whales’ neural makeup, along with their mimicry abilities, problem solving and communal behavior suggest they are remarkably smart animals – something a former trainer observed personally.

Burgess spent several years as a whale caretaker, a position that entailed building relationships of the aquatic animals.

“Building up those relationships over time takes a lot of dedication and a lot of care. At the beginning, they’re very cautious of you,” she said. “In time, you gain reciprocal understanding. And they start being more trusting with you. It’s just so extraordinary and fulfilling.”

Burgess knew the whales were very smart, but she says she was nevertheless amazed by the details and unique traits in their characters. She cultivated a particular love for Eve and Cleopatra with opposing temperaments.

“One whale accepted me. Cleo required effort,” she said. “Both altered the way I view relationships.”

Growing Opposition and Deteriorating Conditions

Her relationship with the whales progressed against a background of growing public opposition to their captivity.

During her three years at the facility, multiple belugas and the park’s single orca, Kiska, passed away. In all, nineteen belugas have died at the park since recent years, a statistic which the facility ascribes to age-related causes, but which activists say reflects the poor conditions in which they were housed.

The facility did not admit visitors to the guests over the summer, but Burgess says she observed directly consequences of the closure. “Structural materials is deteriorating from the tanks because they’re degrading and not being fixed. The whales are exploratory and so they take pieces and navigate with chunks in their jaws. It’s heartbreaking to see.”

The facility did not respond to a inquiry, but earlier claimed: “The whales … get far superior health care and around the clock supervision than any individual in the UK, or other places.”

Fate in Limbo and Proposed Solutions

The former employee was terminated from the facility in recent months following the passing of Eos, an ailing beluga the park staff had to put down. She said the park believed particulars of the death were disclosed to the media and she was let go soon after.

The uncertainty over the whales’ outcome has left her and current and former trainers in anguish. She says the facility’s warning to end the lives of its whales is a bargaining chip and is a “logistically impossible” task, adding any plans to humanely kill even a individual beluga would require “considerable staff”, trucks and machinery.

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

Burgess supports requests for the whales to be taken right away from the park, with its failing enclosures and dwindling staff.

In recent months, Canada’s fisheries minister turned down a request to export the whales to China.

“To approve the proposal would have meant a ongoing situation in confinement and a return to performance for audiences,” the minister wrote. “As the public, we know that belugas belong in the sea, not in pools for our enjoyment. I could not in ethical standing approve an export that would prolong the treatment these belugas have endured.”

But Burgess said the minister’s remarks indicate a wider lack of awareness of the circumstances of living conditions for belugas raised in confinement.

“The people needs to grasp these are whales that have existed solely in confinement and they will need ongoing assistance for the remainder of their lives,” she said. “The public just don’t comprehend that it’s not as easy as saying ‘close it down’.”

Alternative Habitat and Ongoing Debate

As authorities work to find a resolution, proposals have surfaced, some of which have minimal feasibility. An idea called for the belugas to be let go into the wilds of Canada’s north – where whales are a primary resource of food for Inuit communities.

A suggested protected area in the region of Nova Scotia, which recently received government approval, has shown to be contentious. The prospective location, which includes a large area of enclosed sea water, is not yet built. Advocates remain optimistic that it could ultimately represent a permanent solution for eight of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among caretakers she’s discussed with, there is “doubts there” about what she said is “simply an trial” in the whales’ future.

Different voices say the possibility of a sanctuary represents a broader global shift away from zoos and aquariums and could represent a viable approach in the short term.

Charles Vinick, director of the plan, said the location will replicate the intellectual stimulation and feeding regimen the whales obtain from trainers, albeit in a significantly bigger area. He said after the well-being of whales is completely examined, which could take months|an extended period|