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Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie is an charming small “ham sandwich”. Orion – called “Onion Ring” – is a large but very loyal companion. Another whale, Zephyr has “ants in his pants” and sways like a worm. Lillooet is the “most affectionate” with a heart of gold.

Thirty enclosed marine mammals in a Canada-based entertainment facility have been caught in a struggle between a closed attraction, government authorities and advocacy groups.

But those working directly with the whales say the impassioned debate over their future often overlooks the complexities of the whales who, after living their entire lives in confinement, have been carefully observed by the people who see them each day.

After the Canadian government disallowed the sale of the belugas to a foreign facility, the controversial facility near Niagara Falls where they are housed warned to put them down unless the federal government funds the expense of keeping them alive. The nation’s fisheries minister has denied that ultimatum, placing the thirty whales in an ever more uncertain situation.

Highly Cognitive Sea Creatures

Experts say that belugas’ brain structure, along with their mimicry abilities, cognitive challenges and group interactions point to they are deeply intelligent creatures – something one caretaker learned first-hand.

Burgess spent three years as a beluga trainer, a position that required building relationships of the sea creatures.

“Developing those connections over time takes a lot of dedication and a lot of affection. At the outset, they’re very wary of you,” she said. “Eventually, you gain reciprocal understanding. And they start being more vulnerable with you. It’s just so magical and rewarding.”

Burgess knew the whales were highly intelligent, but she says she was nonetheless surprised by the subtleties and unique traits in their dispositions. She formed a special affection for Eve and Cleopatra with opposing temperaments.

“Eve chose me. Cleo required effort,” she said. “They altered the way I view relationships.”

Public Concerns and Facility Decline

Her connection with the whales developed against a background of increasing societal concern to their confinement.

During her tenure at the park, seven belugas and the park’s one killer whale, the orca, died. In total, 19 belugas have died at the park since recent years, a number which the park attributes to natural mortality, but which campaigners say points to the substandard environment in which they were kept.

The facility did not admit visitors to the public over the recent season, but Burgess says she observed directly effects of the closure. “Concrete is falling apart from the pools because they’re degrading and not being repaired. The whales are curious and so they grab fragments and move about with chunks in their mouth. It’s distressing to see.”

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

Fate in Limbo and Potential Resolutions

Burgess was terminated from the park in the spring following the passing of Eos, an sick beluga the caretakers had to euthanize. She said the facility thought details of the death were shared to the media and she was fired soon after.

The lack of clarity over the whales’ future has left Burgess and staff members in despair. She says the facility’s ultimatum to euthanize its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “logistically impossible” endeavor, adding any attempts to put down even a single beluga would require “considerable personnel”, trucks and specialized tools.

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

She supports demands for the whales to be removed immediately from the facility, with its deteriorating pools and shrinking team.

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

“Allowing the proposal would have meant a continued situation in confinement and a reversion to display for amusement,” the minister commented. “As society, we know that whales are meant for the sea, not in tanks for our enjoyment. I could not in clear conscience permit an transfer that would perpetuate the conditions these belugas have experienced.”

But Burgess said the minister’s comments indicate a more general misunderstanding of the circumstances of existence for belugas living their whole lives in enclosures.

“The public needs to grasp these are whales that have lived entirely in enclosed habitats and they will need ongoing assistance for the foreseeable future,” she said. “People just don’t comprehend that it’s not as simple as saying ‘end operations’.”

Alternative Habitat and Ongoing Debate

As officials attempt to find a resolution, ideas have been put forward, some of which have little basis in reality. One proposal called for the belugas to be released into the natural habitat of Canada’s north – where whales are a primary resource of nourishment for local populations.

A proposed refuge in the region of eastern Canada, which has received government approval, has shown to be most controversial. The planned site, which includes extensive space of penned in ocean, is not yet built. Supporters remain optimistic that it could eventually represent a long term resolution for eight of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among caretakers she’s spoken with, there is “skepticism there” about what she said is “merely an trial” in the whales’ well-being.

Some experts say the idea of a refuge reflects a worldwide trend away from zoos and aquariums and could represent a viable plan in the short term.

Charles Vinick, head of the sanctuary project, said the site will simulate the intellectual stimulation and feeding regimen the whales receive from specialists, albeit in a more expansive space. He said after the well-being of whales is completely examined, which could take months|an extended period|