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Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie is an adorable little “playful character”. The whale Orion – called “Onion Ring” – is a sizeable but guardian-like companion. Zephyr has “ants in his pants” and moves like a worm. Lillooet the beluga is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a kind nature.

Thirty enclosed marine mammals in a Canada-based amusement park have been caught in a struggle between a shuttered park, government authorities and animal rights activists.

But those most familiar with the whales say the heated controversy over their destiny often ignores the complexities of the whales who, after growing up in confinement, have been thoroughly researched by the humans who see them each day.

After the federal government blocked the transfer of the belugas to China, the embattled facility near Niagara Falls where they are housed warned to end their lives unless the authorities pays for the upkeep of keeping them alive. Canada’s fisheries minister has rejected that ultimatum, placing the 30 whales in an dangerously unstable circumstance.

Intelligent Marine Mammals

Scientists say that belugas’ neuroanatomy, along with their mimicry abilities, problem solving and group interactions suggest they are deeply intelligent animals – something one caretaker discovered personally.

Burgess spent three years as a marine mammal specialist, a position that involved earning the trust of the marine predators.

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

Burgess knew the whales were highly intelligent, but she says she was nonetheless astounded by the subtleties and unique traits in their dispositions. She formed a special affection for Eve and Cleopatra with contrasting personalities.

“One whale chose me. The other required effort,” she said. “They transformed the way I understand bonding.”

Public Concerns and Deteriorating Conditions

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

During her three years at the attraction, seven belugas and the park’s single killer whale, the orca, passed away. In all, 19 belugas have died at the park since recent years, a toll which the facility links to age-related causes, but which campaigners say indicates the inadequate care in which they were maintained.

The facility did not operate to the public over the summer, but the former trainer says she saw with her own eyes effects of the closure. “Structural materials is falling apart from the tanks because they’re in disrepair and not being fixed. The whales are curious and so they take pieces and navigate with chunks in their jaws. It’s upsetting to see.”

The park did not reply to a inquiry, but in the past claimed: “The whales … receive far better veterinary services and constant attention than any human in the United Kingdom, or other places.”

Fate in Limbo and Proposed Solutions

Burgess was terminated from the facility in the spring following the death of a beluga, an unwell beluga the park staff had to euthanize. She said the facility believed details of the death were shared to the media and she was fired soon after.

The uncertainty over the whales’ fate has left Burgess and current and former trainers in distress. She says the park’s warning to end the lives of its whales is a bargaining chip and is a “practically unfeasible” endeavor, adding any plans to put down even a single beluga would require “significant manpower”, trucks and heavy equipment.

“There’s no way in hell the caretakers would ever do it,” she said.

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

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

“Granting the request would have meant a ongoing existence in enclosure and a reversion to public entertainment,” the minister wrote. “As the public, we know that whales should be in the wild, not in enclosures for our entertainment. I could not in good conscience permit an relocation that would continue the conditions these belugas have experienced.”

But Burgess said the official’s comments reflect a more general incorrect perception of the circumstances of life for belugas raised in confinement.

“The society needs to understand these are whales that have spent their whole lives in enclosed habitats and they will need human care for the rest of their years,” she said. “The public just don’t realize that it’s not as straightforward as saying ‘end operations’.”

Alternative Habitat and Ongoing Debate

As officials work to find a resolution, suggestions have been put forward, some of which have little basis in reality. An idea called for the belugas to be let go into the open waters of the Arctic – where whales are a key source of food for Inuit communities.

A planned protected area in the region of eastern Canada, which has received regulatory clearance, has shown to be highly debated. The planned site, which includes extensive space of protected cove, doesn’t yet exist. Advocates remain positive that it could in time represent a permanent resolution for some of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among staff she’s discussed with, there is “no trust there” about what she said is “only an untested concept” in the whales’ well-being.

Others say the idea of a protected habitat indicates a changing attitudes away from captive facilities and could represent a workable solution in the coming months.

An official, head of the sanctuary project, said the site will mimic the cognitive activities and nutrition the whales get from specialists, albeit in a significantly bigger area. He said after the medical condition of whales is completely examined, which could take months|an extended period|