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Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie is an adorable small “ham sandwich”. Orion – called “Onion” – is a sizeable but very loyal companion. Another whale, Zephyr has “ants in his pants” and moves like a worm. Lillooet is the “loving presence” with a gentle spirit.

A group of thirty captive marine mammals in a Canadian amusement park have become pawns in a struggle between a shuttered park, public officials and advocacy groups.

But those most familiar with the whales say the heated debate over their future often ignores the complexities of the whales who, after living their entire lives in confinement, have been closely studied by the people who see them each day.

After the national authorities prevented the export of the belugas to a foreign facility, the embattled amusement park near the famous falls where they are kept warned to end their lives unless the authorities funds the upkeep of their survival. The nation’s marine resources official has rejected that request, placing the 30 whales in an ever more uncertain circumstance.

Highly Cognitive Sea Creatures

Scientists say that beluga whales’ neuroanatomy, along with their vocal imitation skills, problem solving and communal behavior point to they are highly cognitive animals – something Kristy Burgess learned first-hand.

Burgess spent a significant period as a marine mammal specialist, a role that entailed gaining confidence of the aquatic animals.

“Building up those relationships over time takes a lot of consistency and a lot of affection. At the start, they’re very cautious of you,” she said. “Over time, you gain mutual trust. And they start being more open with you. It’s just so wonderful and gratifying.”

Burgess knew the whales were very smart, but she says she was nonetheless surprised by the details and idiosyncrasies in their characters. She developed a deep bond for Eve and Cleopatra with opposing natures.

“One whale chose me. Cleo made me earn it,” she said. “Both altered the way I perceive relationships.”

Growing Opposition and Facility Decline

Her relationship with the whales evolved against a backdrop of increasing societal concern to their confinement.

During her three years at the facility, multiple belugas and the park’s one orca, Kiska, died. In total, nineteen belugas have died at the park since recent years, a statistic which the park links to age-related causes, but which activists say points to the poor conditions in which they were kept.

The park did not open to the visitors over the recent season, but Burgess says she witnessed firsthand results of the closure. “Concrete is breaking off from the tanks because they’re falling apart and not being maintained. The whales are exploratory and so they pick it up and swim around with fragments in their jaws. It’s upsetting to see.”

The facility did not reply to a request for comment, but previously asserted: “The whales … receive far higher quality veterinary services and constant attention than any individual in the United Kingdom, or elsewhere.”

Fate in Limbo and Potential Resolutions

Burgess was fired from the park in recent months following the death of a beluga, an unwell beluga the employees had to euthanize. She said the facility suspected information of the incident were disclosed to the press and she was let go soon after.

The ambiguity over the whales’ future has left her and current and former trainers in anguish. She says the park’s ultimatum to kill its whales is a bargaining chip and is a “practically unfeasible” undertaking, adding any attempts to humanely kill even a single beluga would require “immense manpower”, equipment and specialized tools.

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

Burgess advocates for calls for the whales to be removed immediately from the facility, with its deteriorating pools and reduced personnel.

In recent months, the nation’s fisheries minister rejected a request to send the whales to China.

“Allowing the proposal would have meant a continued life in enclosure and a return to public entertainment,” the minister commented. “As society, we know that whales should be in the ocean, not in pools for our amusement. I could not in ethical standing approve an relocation that would continue the conditions these belugas have suffered.”

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

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

Alternative Habitat and Continuing Discussion

As authorities work 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 wilds of the Arctic – where whales are a primary resource of sustenance for Indigenous peoples.

A proposed protected area in the region of Nova Scotia, which recently received official endorsement, has been most controversial. The future site, which includes 100 acres of protected cove, is not yet built. Supporters remain optimistic that it could in time represent a permanent resolution for eight of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among staff she’s consulted, there is “doubts there” about what she said is “only an trial” in the whales’ future.

Some experts say the possibility of a refuge reflects a worldwide trend away from captive facilities and could represent a workable plan in the coming months.

The project lead, director of the initiative, said the location will simulate the mental engagement and nutrition the whales receive from caretakers, albeit in a more expansive space. He said after the health of whales is fully assessed, which could take months|an extended period|