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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie is an adorable small “ham sandwich”. Orion – nicknamed “Onion” – is a big but guardian-like companion. Zephyr has “ants in his pants” and wiggles like a worm. Lillooet is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a heart of gold.

A group of thirty enclosed marine mammals in a Canadian entertainment facility have been entangled in a struggle between a defunct facility, public officials and advocacy groups.

But those most familiar with the whales say the intense discussion over their future often fails to consider the nuances of the whales who, after growing up in captivity, have been carefully observed by the humans who work with them regularly.

After the national authorities blocked the export of the belugas to China, the struggling attraction near Niagara Falls where they are housed threatened to put them down unless the federal government funds the expense of their care. The nation’s marine resources official has rejected that request, placing the 30 whales in an dangerously unstable circumstance.

Highly Cognitive Sea Creatures

Experts say that belugas’ neuroanatomy, along with their vocal imitation skills, cognitive challenges and social skills point to they are remarkably smart animals – something Kristy Burgess learned directly.

Burgess spent three years as a marine mammal specialist, a job that entailed gaining confidence of the marine predators.

“Establishing those relationships over time takes a lot of dedication and a lot of love. At the start, they’re very cautious of you,” she said. “In time, you gain shared confidence. And they start being more trusting with you. It’s just so magical and rewarding.”

Burgess knew the whales were very smart, but she says she was nevertheless astounded by the nuances and unique traits in their personalities. She cultivated a deep bond for a pair of whales with different natures.

“One whale selected me. The other demanded work,” she said. “They changed the way I perceive connection.”

Growing Opposition and Deteriorating Conditions

Her connection with the whales evolved against a backdrop of rising activist criticism to their confinement.

During her time at the facility, multiple belugas and the park’s single orca, Kiska, succumbed. In all, 19 belugas have died at the park since recent years, a statistic which the park links to natural mortality, but which activists say reflects the substandard environment in which they were housed.

The facility did not admit visitors to the guests over the summer, but the former trainer says she saw with her own eyes consequences of the shutdown. “Structural materials is falling apart from the pools because they’re falling apart and not being maintained. The whales are exploratory and so they pick it up and swim around with pieces in their jaws. It’s distressing to see.”

The facility did not comment to a questionnaire, but earlier stated: “The whales … get far better medical attention and around the clock care than any person in the United Kingdom, or elsewhere.”

Uncertain Future and Potential Resolutions

The former employee was fired from the facility in the spring following the passing of Eos, an ailing beluga the caretakers had to humanely kill. She said the park believed particulars of the incident were leaked to the news outlets and she was fired soon after.

The ambiguity over the whales’ outcome has left Burgess and current and former trainers in distress. She says the facility’s threat to kill its whales is a leverage tool and is a “logistically impossible” task, adding any efforts to put down even a single beluga would require “considerable manpower”, trucks and specialized tools.

“It cannot happen in hell the staff would ever do it,” she said.

She advocates for calls for the whales to be transferred promptly from the facility, with its failing enclosures and shrinking team.

In late September, the nation’s fisheries minister denied a bid to transfer the whales to an overseas location.

“Granting the proposal would have meant a continued existence in captivity and a return to public entertainment,” the minister wrote. “As the public, we know that belugas belong in the sea, not in tanks for our amusement. I could not in good conscience authorize an transfer that would continue the treatment these belugas have experienced.”

But the former trainer said the minister’s comments reveal a more general incorrect perception of the realities of life for belugas born in captivity.

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

Alternative Habitat and Continuing Discussion

As officials work to find a resolution, proposals have surfaced, some of which have minimal feasibility. A suggested plan called for the belugas to be freed into the natural habitat of northern regions – where whales are a key source of food for local populations.

A planned protected area in the province of Nova Scotia, which has received official endorsement, has proven contentious. The prospective location, which includes a large area of enclosed sea water, doesn’t yet exist. Advocates remain hopeful that it could in time represent a permanent answer for a number of the whales.

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

Different voices say the prospect of a protected habitat represents a broader global shift away from captive facilities and could represent a viable solution in the short term.

Charles Vinick, leader of the sanctuary project, said the location will replicate the cognitive activities and nutrition the whales get from specialists, albeit in a significantly bigger space. He said after the well-being of whales is completely examined, which could take months|an extended period|