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Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie Botts is an cute small “ham sandwich”. The whale Orion – nicknamed “Onion” – is a big but fiercely protective companion. Zephyr has “constant motion” and moves like a worm. Lillooet is the “most affectionate” with a kind nature.

A group of thirty captive beluga whales in a Canadian entertainment facility have become pawns in a disagreement between a shuttered park, public officials and welfare campaigners.

But those most familiar with the whales say the heated discussion over their future often fails to consider the nuances of the whales who, after spending their lives in enclosed habitats, have been thoroughly researched by the humans who interact with them daily.

After the Canadian government blocked the export of the belugas to a foreign facility, the struggling facility near the famous falls where they are kept stated it would consider to end their lives unless the authorities funds the cost of their care. Canada’s marine resources official has refused that request, placing the thirty whales in an increasingly precarious situation.

Highly Cognitive Marine Mammals

Researchers say that belugas’ neuroanatomy, along with their vocal imitation skills, intellectual tasks and social skills point to they are highly cognitive creatures – something a former trainer observed first-hand.

She spent several years as a beluga trainer, a position that entailed building relationships of the sea creatures.

“Establishing those relationships over time takes a lot of consistency and a lot of care. At the beginning, they’re very wary of you,” she said. “In time, you gain mutual trust. And they start being more open with you. It’s just so magical and rewarding.”

The trainer knew the whales were very smart, but she says she was nevertheless surprised by the subtleties and idiosyncrasies in their characters. She cultivated a deep bond for Eve and Cleopatra with opposing personalities.

“One whale chose me. The other made me earn it,” she said. “Each transformed the way I perceive relationships.”

Growing Opposition and Facility Decline

Her relationship with the whales evolved against a background of rising activist criticism to their captivity.

During her tenure at the facility, multiple belugas and the park’s one orca, Kiska, succumbed. In total, 19 belugas have perished at the park since recent years, a toll which the park ascribes to expected lifespan, but which activists say reflects the substandard environment in which they were maintained.

The facility did not operate to the visitors over the recent season, but Burgess says she witnessed firsthand results of the closure. “Concrete is breaking off from the pools because they’re in disrepair and not being maintained. The whales are inquisitive and so they grab fragments and swim around with pieces in their jaws. It’s distressing to see.”

The facility did not reply to a questionnaire, but earlier claimed: “The whales … obtain far superior medical attention and constant supervision 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 caretakers had to humanely kill. She said the facility believed particulars of the incident were leaked to the media and she was let go shortly thereafter.

The uncertainty over the whales’ future has left her and current and former trainers in despair. She says the park’s threat to kill its whales is a leverage tool and is a “extremely difficult” task, adding any efforts to put down even a individual beluga would require “significant personnel”, vehicles and machinery.

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

Burgess advocates for demands for the whales to be transferred promptly from the facility, with its failing enclosures and dwindling staff.

In the autumn, the nation’s government official turned down a proposal to transfer the whales to China.

“To approve the proposal would have meant a ongoing life in captivity and a return to performance for audiences,” the official commented. “As Canadians, we know that marine mammals belong in the wild, not in tanks for our amusement. I could not in clear conscience approve an export that would perpetuate the situation these belugas have endured.”

But the former trainer said the official’s comments indicate a more general lack of awareness of the facts of living conditions for belugas born in captivity.

“The people needs to understand these are whales that have lived entirely in confinement and they will need human care for the foreseeable future,” she said. “The public just don’t realize that it’s not as straightforward as saying ‘close it down’.”

Alternative Habitat and Ongoing Debate

As authorities work to find a answer, ideas have emerged, some of which have little basis in reality. An idea called for the belugas to be let go into the natural habitat of Canada’s north – where whales are a key source of nourishment for local populations.

A proposed refuge in the province of Nova Scotia, which has received regulatory clearance, has shown to be contentious. The planned location, which includes extensive space of protected cove, doesn’t yet exist. Proponents remain positive that it could eventually represent a long term resolution for a number of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among trainers she’s consulted, there is “doubts there” about what she said is “only an experiment” in the whales’ fate.

Some experts say the prospect of a sanctuary indicates a changing attitudes away from zoos and aquariums and could represent a viable solution in the coming months.

Charles Vinick, director of the sanctuary project, said the site will simulate the intellectual stimulation and nutrition the whales obtain from specialists, albeit in a more expansive environment. He said after the medical condition of whales is fully assessed, which could take months|an extended period|