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Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie is an cute small “sweetheart”. The whale Orion – called “Onion” – is a sizeable but very loyal companion. Zephyr has “endless energy” and moves like a worm. Lillooet is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a heart of gold.

A group of thirty captive marine mammals in a Canadian amusement park have been caught in a tussle between a defunct facility, local and national governments and animal rights activists.

But those most familiar with the whales say the intense debate over their future often fails to consider the individual traits of the whales who, after living their entire lives in captivity, have been thoroughly researched by the humans who work with them regularly.

After the national authorities blocked the export of the belugas to China, the controversial facility near Niagara Falls where they are held warned to euthanize them unless the federal government funds the expense of their survival. The nation’s marine resources official has rejected that demand, placing the thirty whales in an dangerously unstable circumstance.

Highly Cognitive Marine Mammals

Researchers say that beluga whales’ neuroanatomy, along with their sound replication, intellectual tasks and communal behavior indicate they are highly cognitive animals – something Kristy Burgess learned first-hand.

She spent a significant period as a marine mammal specialist, a position that entailed earning the trust of the aquatic animals.

“Developing those bonds over time takes a lot of consistency and a lot of affection. At the start, they’re very cautious of you,” she said. “Eventually, you gain reciprocal understanding. And they start being more open with you. It’s just so wonderful and fulfilling.”

The trainer knew the whales were highly intelligent, but she says she was nonetheless astounded by the nuances and unique traits in their personalities. She developed a special affection for two female belugas with different temperaments.

“Eve selected me. Cleo required effort,” she said. “They changed the way I understand relationships.”

Growing Opposition and Facility Decline

Burgess’s connection with the whales developed against a background of increasing societal concern to their enclosure.

During her time at the facility, multiple belugas and the park’s single orca, Kiska, passed away. In total, nineteen belugas have perished at the park since recent years, a statistic which the park attributes to natural mortality, but which activists say reflects the poor conditions in which they were housed.

The park did not open to the visitors over the summer, but Burgess says she saw with her own eyes effects of the cessation. “Concrete is falling apart from the enclosures because they’re in disrepair and not being fixed. The whales are exploratory and so they take pieces and navigate with pieces in their jaws. It’s heartbreaking to see.”

The park did not respond to a questionnaire, but earlier asserted: “The whales … get far higher quality medical attention and around the clock attention than any person in the Britain, or elsewhere.”

Uncertain Future and Proposed Solutions

Burgess was dismissed from the facility in recent months following the demise of a beluga, an ailing beluga the park staff had to put down. She said the facility thought particulars of the incident were disclosed to the news outlets and she was released soon after.

The lack of clarity over the whales’ outcome has left Burgess and staff members in distress. She says the park’s threat to kill its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “extremely difficult” task, adding any plans to put down even a one beluga would require “considerable staff”, vehicles and heavy equipment.

“There’s no way in hell the caretakers would ever do it,” she said.

She backs requests for the whales to be transferred right away from the facility, with its deteriorating pools and shrinking team.

In late September, the nation’s government official denied a bid to transfer the whales to China.

“Allowing the proposal would have meant a perpetual situation in confinement and a reversion to display for amusement,” the minister commented. “As society, we know that marine mammals should be in the sea, not in enclosures for our enjoyment. I could not in good conscience authorize an transfer that would perpetuate the situation these belugas have suffered.”

But the former trainer said the minister’s remarks reflect a broader lack of awareness of the realities of existence for belugas born in captivity.

“The society needs to realize these are whales that have spent their whole lives in enclosed habitats and they will need constant supervision for the foreseeable future,” she said. “People just don’t realize that it’s not as straightforward as saying ‘shut it down’.”

Alternative Habitat and Continuing Discussion

As authorities work to find a answer, suggestions have been put forward, some of which have little basis in reality. One proposal called for the belugas to be freed into the natural habitat of the Arctic – where whales are a primary resource of sustenance for Inuit communities.

A planned protected area in the province of Nova Scotia, which recently received regulatory clearance, has shown to be most controversial. The planned site, which includes a large area of penned in ocean, doesn’t yet exist. Advocates remain hopeful that it could in time represent a permanent resolution for eight of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among caretakers she’s spoken with, there is “skepticism there” about what she said is “merely an experiment” in the whales’ future.

Others say the possibility of a sanctuary reflects a worldwide trend away from animal displays and could represent a feasible solution in the near future.

An official, head of the initiative, said the location will mimic the mental engagement and nutrition the whales obtain from caretakers, albeit in a much larger environment. He said after the health of whales is completely examined, which could take months|an extended period|