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Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie Botts is an adorable little “sweetheart”. Orion – called “Onion” – is a big but fiercely protective friend. Zephyr has “endless energy” 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 entangled in a struggle between a shuttered park, local and national governments and advocacy groups.

But those closest to the whales say the intense debate over their destiny often fails to consider the individual traits of the whales who, after growing up in enclosed habitats, have been closely studied by the humans who interact with them daily.

After the Canadian government prevented the transfer of the belugas to a foreign facility, the struggling amusement park near Niagara Falls where they are held threatened to put them down unless the federal government pays for the upkeep of their care. Canada’s fisheries minister has denied that ultimatum, placing the thirty whales in an ever more uncertain position.

Intelligent Sea Creatures

Researchers say that belugas’ brain structure, along with their mimicry abilities, problem solving and group interactions point to they are remarkably smart mammals – something a former trainer learned personally.

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

“Developing those connections over time takes a lot of dedication and a lot of care. At the outset, they’re very wary of you,” she said. “In time, you gain reciprocal understanding. And they start being more open with you. It’s just so wonderful and fulfilling.”

Burgess knew the whales were very smart, but she says she was even so amazed by the subtleties and quirks in their dispositions. She formed a special affection for a pair of whales with different natures.

“One whale accepted me. Cleo required effort,” she said. “They changed the way I perceive bonding.”

Growing Opposition and Deteriorating Conditions

Her relationship with the whales developed against a context of growing public opposition to their confinement.

During her time at the facility, multiple belugas and the park’s one killer whale, the orca, died. In all, 19 belugas have died at the park since recent years, a statistic which the park ascribes to expected lifespan, but which campaigners say indicates the inadequate care in which they were housed.

The facility did not operate to the public over the summer, but the former trainer says she observed directly effects of the closure. “Concrete is breaking off from the pools because they’re degrading and not being repaired. The whales are curious and so they take pieces and navigate with pieces in their mouth. It’s upsetting to see.”

The facility did not reply to a questionnaire, but previously claimed: “The whales … receive far better health care and constant supervision than any human in the United Kingdom, or other places.”

Fate in Limbo and Potential Resolutions

Burgess was fired from the facility in recent months following the passing of a beluga, an ailing beluga the caretakers had to humanely kill. She said the park suspected particulars of the death were disclosed to the press and she was released soon after.

The uncertainty over the whales’ future has left her and current and former trainers in anguish. She says the facility’s warning to kill its whales is a leverage tool and is a “extremely difficult” undertaking, adding any plans to put down even a one beluga would require “immense manpower”, trucks and heavy equipment.

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

She backs requests for the whales to be removed right away from the park, with its failing enclosures and shrinking team.

In late September, Canada’s government official denied a proposal to export the whales to an overseas location.

“Granting the proposal would have meant a perpetual life in captivity and a reversion to performance for audiences,” the minister stated. “As Canadians, we know that marine mammals belong in the wild, not in enclosures for our enjoyment. I could not in ethical standing approve an transfer that would continue the situation these belugas have endured.”

But the former trainer said the official’s remarks indicate a more general incorrect perception of the circumstances of life for belugas born in captivity.

“The people needs to realize these are whales that have spent their whole lives in enclosed habitats and they will need ongoing assistance for the remainder of their lives,” she said. “The public just don’t understand that it’s not as easy as saying ‘close it down’.”

Alternative Habitat and Ongoing Debate

As decision makers attempt to find a answer, ideas have emerged, some of which have questionable practicality. An idea called for the belugas to be released into the wilds of Canada’s north – where whales are a primary resource of nourishment for local populations.

A suggested sanctuary in the region of eastern Canada, which has received government approval, has been contentious. The planned facility, which includes extensive space of penned in ocean, is not yet built. Proponents remain positive that it could ultimately represent a long term answer for a number of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among caretakers she’s consulted, there is “skepticism there” about what she said is “merely an experiment” in the whales’ future.

Others say the prospect of a protected habitat represents a changing attitudes away from captive facilities and could represent a feasible approach in the near future.

Charles Vinick, head of the initiative, said the facility will mimic the intellectual stimulation and diet the whales receive 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|