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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie Botts is an adorable small “ham sandwich”. The whale Orion – nicknamed “Onion Ring” – is a large but fiercely protective companion. Another whale, Zephyr has “ants in his pants” and sways like a worm. Lillooet the beluga is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a heart of gold.

A group of thirty captive marine mammals in a Canadian amusement park have been entangled in a struggle 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 overlooks the individual traits of the whales who, after growing up in captivity, have been thoroughly researched by the humans who work with them regularly.

After the Canadian government blocked the sale of the belugas to China, the embattled amusement park near the famous falls where they are housed stated it would consider to end their lives unless the authorities funds the upkeep of keeping them alive. The nation’s marine resources official has rejected that ultimatum, placing the 30 whales in an dangerously unstable circumstance.

Intelligent Marine Mammals

Researchers say that belugas’ neuroanatomy, along with their vocal imitation skills, cognitive challenges and social skills point to they are highly cognitive mammals – something Kristy Burgess discovered directly.

She spent three years as a whale caretaker, a role that entailed gaining confidence of the aquatic animals.

“Developing those connections over time takes a lot of dedication and a lot of affection. At the start, they’re very unsure of you,” she said. “Over time, you gain shared confidence. And they start being more trusting with you. It’s just so extraordinary and rewarding.”

Burgess knew the whales were very smart, but she says she was even so surprised by the details and quirks in their personalities. She developed a special affection for a pair of whales with contrasting natures.

“Eve chose me. Cleo demanded work,” she said. “Each transformed the way I perceive bonding.”

Public Concerns and Deteriorating Conditions

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

During her three years at the park, multiple belugas and the park’s single killer whale, the orca, died. In total, 19 belugas have died at the park since recent years, a statistic which the facility attributes to age-related causes, but which advocates say points to the inadequate care in which they were housed.

The facility did not operate to the visitors over the summer, but the former trainer says she saw with her own eyes results of the shutdown. “Structural materials is falling apart from the enclosures because they’re falling apart and not being fixed. The whales are curious and so they take pieces and swim around with fragments in their mouth. It’s heartbreaking to see.”

The facility did not reply to a request for comment, but earlier stated: “The whales … get far higher quality medical attention and 24/7 supervision than any human in the Britain, or elsewhere.”

Fate in Limbo and Proposed Solutions

The former employee was terminated from the park in recent months following the passing of a beluga, an ailing beluga the park staff had to humanely kill. She said the park thought information of the incident were shared to the media and she was released soon after.

The ambiguity over the whales’ fate has left Burgess and current and former trainers in despair. She says the facility’s threat to end the lives of its whales is a leverage tool and is a “logistically impossible” task, adding any attempts to humanely kill even a single beluga would require “immense manpower”, vehicles and heavy equipment.

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

She advocates for demands for the whales to be taken promptly from the facility, with its crumbling tanks and reduced personnel.

In late September, the nation’s fisheries minister rejected a bid to send the whales to China.

“To approve the proposal would have meant a continued existence in captivity and a reversion to display for amusement,” the minister wrote. “As the public, we know that whales should be in the wild, not in pools for our entertainment. I could not in ethical standing permit an transfer that would prolong the conditions these belugas have endured.”

But the former trainer said the official’s remarks indicate a wider lack of awareness of the circumstances of living conditions for belugas living their whole lives in enclosures.

“The public needs to grasp these are whales that have lived entirely in confinement and they will need constant supervision for the rest of their years,” she said. “Many just don’t realize that it’s not as easy as saying ‘close it down’.”

Alternative Habitat and Continuing Discussion

As decision makers attempt to find a answer, ideas have surfaced, some of which have minimal feasibility. An idea called for the belugas to be let go into the natural habitat of northern regions – where whales are a key source of nourishment for local populations.

A planned sanctuary in the region of Nova Scotia, which now received official endorsement, has been contentious. The prospective site, which includes a large area of penned in ocean, remains undeveloped. Proponents remain positive that it could eventually represent a permanent solution for some of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among trainers she’s discussed with, there is “doubts there” about what she said is “merely an trial” in the whales’ future.

Different voices say the idea of a protected habitat reflects a broader global shift away from animal displays and could represent a feasible plan in the near future.

An official, director of the sanctuary project, said the location will mimic the mental engagement and diet the whales get from caretakers, albeit in a more expansive environment. He said after the well-being of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|