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Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie Botts is an charming little “ham sandwich”. The whale Orion – called “Onion” – is a sizeable but guardian-like friend. Another whale, Zephyr has “constant motion” and sways like a worm. Lillooet is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a kind nature.

Thirty captive marine mammals in a Canada-based amusement park have been entangled in a tussle between a shuttered park, local and national governments and welfare campaigners.

But those working directly with the whales say the heated debate over their future often overlooks the individual traits of the whales who, after growing up in enclosed habitats, have been thoroughly researched by the humans who interact with them daily.

After the Canadian government disallowed the export of the belugas to China, the struggling amusement park near the famous falls where they are housed warned to put them down unless the government funds the expense of their care. The nation’s marine resources official has denied that request, placing the thirty whales in an increasingly precarious situation.

Highly Cognitive Marine Mammals

Scientists say that beluga whales’ neuroanatomy, along with their mimicry abilities, problem solving and group interactions suggest they are highly cognitive creatures – something one caretaker observed directly.

Burgess spent a significant period as a whale caretaker, a position that involved building relationships of the sea creatures.

“Establishing those bonds over time takes a lot of consistency and a lot of affection. At the outset, they’re very wary of you,” she said. “In time, you gain shared confidence. And they start being more trusting with you. It’s just so extraordinary and gratifying.”

Burgess knew the whales were very smart, but she says she was nonetheless surprised by the details and quirks in their dispositions. She developed a particular love for Eve and Cleopatra with different natures.

“One whale chose me. Cleo demanded work,” she said. “They altered the way I view bonding.”

Growing Opposition and Deteriorating Conditions

Burgess’s connection with the whales developed against a background of growing public opposition to their enclosure.

During her three years at the attraction, multiple belugas and the park’s one killer whale, Kiska, passed away. In all, 19 belugas have died at the park since recent years, a toll which the park links to natural mortality, but which advocates say indicates the substandard environment in which they were housed.

The facility did not admit visitors to the guests over the recent season, but the former trainer says she witnessed firsthand results of the closure. “Structural materials is falling apart from the pools because they’re in disrepair and not being repaired. The whales are curious and so they take pieces and move about with chunks in their mouth. It’s upsetting to see.”

The park did not reply to a request for comment, but in the past stated: “The whales … receive far superior medical attention and 24/7 supervision than any individual in the United Kingdom, or other places.”

Fate in Limbo and Proposed Solutions

Burgess was fired from the park in the spring following the passing of a beluga, an sick beluga the caretakers had to put down. She said the park believed information of the incident were disclosed to the news outlets and she was released shortly thereafter.

The lack of clarity over the whales’ outcome has left her and staff members in distress. She says the facility’s warning to euthanize its whales is a bargaining chip and is a “practically unfeasible” undertaking, adding any plans to humanely kill even a single beluga would require “considerable staff”, vehicles and specialized tools.

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

She advocates for requests for the whales to be removed right away from the park, with its deteriorating pools and shrinking team.

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

“Allowing the proposal would have meant a ongoing situation in enclosure and a reversion to performance for audiences,” the official commented. “As Canadians, we know that belugas should be in the ocean, not in pools for our entertainment. I could not in clear conscience authorize an transfer that would prolong the conditions these belugas have experienced.”

But the former trainer said the minister’s statements reflect a broader misunderstanding of the facts of life for belugas raised in confinement.

“The public needs to realize these are whales that have existed solely in confinement and they will need constant supervision for the remainder of their lives,” she said. “People just don’t realize that it’s not as easy as saying ‘end operations’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Ongoing Debate

As authorities work to find a solution, ideas have emerged, some of which have questionable practicality. One proposal called for the belugas to be released into the wilds of the Arctic – where whales are a important part of sustenance for Inuit communities.

A planned refuge in the region of eastern Canada, which recently received government approval, has proven most controversial. The prospective facility, which includes 100 acres of enclosed sea water, is not yet built. Supporters remain hopeful that it could in time represent a long term solution for eight of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among staff she’s spoken with, there is “skepticism there” about what she said is “merely an untested concept” in the whales’ well-being.

Some experts say the idea of a refuge indicates a broader global shift away from captive facilities and could represent a feasible solution in the coming months.

Charles Vinick, leader of the plan, said the facility will mimic the cognitive activities and diet the whales receive from trainers, albeit in a much larger space. He said after the medical condition of whales is fully assessed, which could take months|an extended period|