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Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie is an adorable small “ham sandwich”. The whale Orion – nicknamed “Onion Ring” – is a sizeable but very loyal friend. Another whale, Zephyr has “constant motion” and sways like a worm. Lillooet the beluga is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a kind nature.

Thirty enclosed beluga whales in a Canadian entertainment facility have become pawns in a struggle between a closed attraction, local and national governments and animal rights activists.

But those closest to the whales say the impassioned debate over their future often ignores the individual traits of the whales who, after growing up in captivity, have been closely studied by the people who see them each day.

After the national authorities prevented the export of the belugas to China, the controversial facility near Niagara Falls where they are kept threatened to euthanize them unless the authorities covers the upkeep of their survival. Canada’s fisheries minister has denied that demand, placing the thirty whales in an ever more uncertain situation.

Intelligent Marine Mammals

Experts say that beluga whales’ neuroanatomy, along with their mimicry abilities, problem solving and communal behavior point to they are remarkably smart creatures – something Kristy Burgess learned personally.

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

“Developing those bonds over time takes a lot of regularity and a lot of care. At the outset, they’re very cautious of you,” she said. “In time, you gain mutual trust. And they start being more vulnerable with you. It’s just so wonderful and rewarding.”

The trainer knew the whales were highly intelligent, but she says she was even so astounded by the nuances and quirks in their dispositions. She formed a deep bond for Eve and Cleopatra with opposing temperaments.

“Eve chose me. Cleo made me earn it,” she said. “Each transformed the way I understand connection.”

Public Concerns and Facility Decline

Her connection with the whales developed against a backdrop of rising activist criticism to their captivity.

During her time at the attraction, seven belugas and the park’s single killer whale, Kiska, passed away. In all, 19 belugas have perished at the park since recent years, a statistic which the park links to expected lifespan, but which advocates say indicates the poor conditions in which they were housed.

The park did not open to the public over the recent season, but Burgess says she saw with her own eyes results of the closure. “Concrete is falling apart from the tanks because they’re degrading and not being fixed. The whales are inquisitive and so they grab fragments and swim around with pieces in their mouth. It’s upsetting to see.”

The park did not respond to a request for comment, but previously stated: “The whales … receive far better veterinary services and 24/7 supervision than any individual in the Britain, or elsewhere.”

Uncertain Future and Proposed Solutions

The former employee was terminated from the park in the spring following the death of a beluga, an ailing beluga the caretakers had to put down. She said the facility suspected details of the incident were leaked to the news outlets and she was fired shortly thereafter.

The uncertainty over the whales’ outcome has left her and current and former trainers in distress. She says the facility’s ultimatum to end the lives of its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “logistically impossible” endeavor, adding any efforts to humanely kill even a one beluga would require “immense manpower”, equipment and heavy equipment.

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

She backs calls for the whales to be removed immediately from the park, with its crumbling tanks and dwindling staff.

In recent months, Canada’s fisheries minister turned down a bid to export the whales to China.

“To approve the application would have meant a perpetual life in enclosure and a return to performance for audiences,” the minister wrote. “As society, we know that marine mammals are meant for the sea, not in pools for our entertainment. I could not in good conscience permit an relocation that would perpetuate the situation these belugas have endured.”

But Burgess said the minister’s statements reveal a wider misunderstanding of the facts of living conditions for belugas living their whole lives in enclosures.

“The people needs to grasp these are whales that have existed solely in confinement and they will need constant supervision for the rest of their years,” she said. “People just don’t understand that it’s not as easy as saying ‘shut it down’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Continuing Discussion

As authorities struggle to find a answer, proposals have emerged, some of which have minimal feasibility. An idea called for the belugas to be released into the wilds of Canada’s north – where whales are a key source of nourishment for local populations.

A planned sanctuary in the province of eastern Canada, which now received government approval, has shown to be contentious. The future location, which includes a large area of enclosed sea water, is not yet built. Supporters remain optimistic that it could eventually represent a long term resolution for eight of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among staff she’s consulted, there is “skepticism there” about what she said is “only an trial” in the whales’ fate.

Some experts say the possibility of a refuge indicates a changing attitudes away from zoos and aquariums and could represent a workable solution in the short term.

Charles Vinick, leader of the sanctuary project, said the facility will mimic the intellectual stimulation and nutrition the whales get from specialists, albeit in a much larger space. He said after the well-being of whales is completely examined, which could take months|an extended period|