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Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie is an cute little “ham sandwich”. The whale Orion – nicknamed “Onion Ring” – is a sizeable but very loyal friend. Zephyr has “ants in his pants” and moves like a wiggly creature. Lillooet is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a heart of gold.

A group of thirty enclosed marine mammals in a Canada-based amusement park have been entangled in a disagreement between a shuttered park, government authorities and animal rights activists.

But those working directly with the whales say the heated debate over their future often fails to consider the nuances of the whales who, after spending their lives in confinement, have been carefully observed by the caretakers who interact with them daily.

After the federal government disallowed the export of the belugas to a foreign facility, the embattled facility near Niagara Falls where they are kept stated it would consider to end their lives unless the federal government covers the expense of keeping them alive. Canada’s marine resources official has rejected that request, placing the 30 whales in an increasingly precarious position.

Intelligent Marine Mammals

Experts say that belugas’ neuroanatomy, along with their vocal imitation skills, problem solving and communal behavior suggest they are remarkably smart animals – something a former trainer observed personally.

She spent a significant period as a whale caretaker, a position that required building relationships of the marine predators.

“Developing those bonds over time takes a lot of regularity and a lot of affection. At the outset, they’re very cautious of you,” she said. “Over time, you gain shared confidence. And they start being more vulnerable with you. It’s just so extraordinary and gratifying.”

The trainer knew the whales were very smart, but she says she was nevertheless amazed by the nuances and unique traits in their personalities. She cultivated a special affection for a pair of whales with opposing personalities.

“Eve chose me. Cleo made me earn it,” she said. “Both transformed the way I understand bonding.”

Growing Opposition and Deteriorating Conditions

Her interaction with the whales developed against a context of rising activist criticism to their enclosure.

During her tenure at the attraction, multiple belugas and the park’s one orca, the orca, succumbed. In total, 19 belugas have perished at the park since recent years, a number which the park links to natural mortality, but which activists say points to the substandard environment in which they were kept.

The park did not open to the guests over the recent season, but the former trainer says she saw with her own eyes effects of the closure. “Concrete is falling apart from the enclosures because they’re degrading and not being fixed. The whales are inquisitive and so they grab fragments and move about with pieces in their mouth. It’s upsetting to see.”

The facility did not respond to a inquiry, but in the past stated: “The whales … receive far higher quality health care and around the clock attention than any human in the UK, or other places.”

Uncertain Future and Proposed Solutions

The former employee was dismissed from the facility in the spring following the demise of a beluga, an unwell beluga the park staff had to euthanize. She said the park believed information of the incident were leaked to the news outlets and she was released not long after.

The lack of clarity over the whales’ future has left Burgess and other caretakers in despair. She says the park’s threat to euthanize its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “practically unfeasible” endeavor, adding any efforts to humanely kill even a single beluga would require “immense manpower”, vehicles and machinery.

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

Burgess supports requests for the whales to be transferred immediately from the park, with its deteriorating pools and shrinking team.

In the autumn, Canada’s government official denied a request to transfer the whales to China.

“Granting the proposal would have meant a perpetual life in enclosure and a return to public entertainment,” the minister wrote. “As the public, we know that whales are meant for the wild, not in tanks for our entertainment. I could not in good conscience authorize an transfer that would prolong the situation these belugas have experienced.”

But the former trainer said the official’s statements indicate a broader misunderstanding of the facts of living conditions for belugas living their whole lives in enclosures.

“The public needs to realize these are whales that have lived entirely in enclosed habitats and they will need human care for the remainder of their lives,” she said. “Many just don’t realize that it’s not as straightforward as saying ‘close it down’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Ongoing Debate

As authorities work to find a answer, proposals have emerged, some of which have questionable practicality. An idea called for the belugas to be freed into the wilds of northern regions – where whales are a primary resource of food for Inuit communities.

A suggested refuge in the region of Nova Scotia, which now received regulatory clearance, has been contentious. The future location, which includes 100 acres of penned in ocean, doesn’t yet exist. Supporters remain positive that it could eventually represent a permanent answer for eight of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among caretakers she’s discussed with, there is “no trust there” about what she said is “only an trial” in the whales’ future.

Different voices say the prospect of a protected habitat reflects a worldwide trend away from zoos and aquariums and could represent a workable approach in the near future.

Charles Vinick, head of the plan, said the site will replicate the cognitive activities and diet the whales get from trainers, albeit in a much larger environment. He said after the well-being of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|