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Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie Botts is an adorable small “ham sandwich”. The whale Orion – called “Onion Ring” – is a big but fiercely protective friend. Zephyr has “ants in his pants” and moves like a worm. Lillooet is the “most affectionate” with a heart of gold.

Thirty captive beluga whales in a Canadian entertainment facility have been entangled in a disagreement between a closed attraction, government authorities and advocacy groups.

But those most familiar with the whales say the impassioned discussion over their future often ignores the nuances of the whales who, after living their entire lives in enclosed habitats, have been closely studied by the humans who interact with them daily.

After the national authorities blocked the sale of the belugas to a foreign facility, the struggling facility near the famous falls where they are held stated it would consider to euthanize them unless the federal government covers the expense of their care. The nation’s fisheries minister has rejected that ultimatum, placing the 30 whales in an increasingly precarious circumstance.

Intelligent Sea Creatures

Scientists say that beluga whales’ neural makeup, along with their sound replication, cognitive challenges and communal behavior point to they are deeply intelligent mammals – something Kristy Burgess observed personally.

She spent several years as a marine mammal specialist, a role that entailed building relationships of the sea creatures.

“Building up those bonds over time takes a lot of dedication and a lot of affection. At the outset, they’re very unsure of you,” she said. “Over time, you gain shared confidence. And they start being more vulnerable with you. It’s just so extraordinary and gratifying.”

Burgess knew the whales were exceptionally cognitive, but she says she was nonetheless amazed by the subtleties and idiosyncrasies in their dispositions. She developed a particular love for a pair of whales with contrasting natures.

“One whale selected me. The other made me earn it,” she said. “They changed the way I view relationships.”

Public Concerns and Deteriorating Conditions

Burgess’s relationship with the whales progressed against a background of increasing societal concern to their captivity.

During her time at the attraction, multiple belugas and the park’s one orca, Kiska, succumbed. In all, nineteen belugas have died at the park since recent years, a statistic which the facility ascribes to expected lifespan, but which advocates say reflects the poor conditions in which they were maintained.

The facility did not operate to the public over the summer, but Burgess says she saw with her own eyes effects of the cessation. “Structural materials is falling apart from the enclosures because they’re degrading and not being maintained. The whales are exploratory and so they grab fragments and move about with chunks in their jaws. It’s heartbreaking to see.”

The park did not respond to a questionnaire, but in the past stated: “The whales … get far higher quality medical attention and 24/7 care than any human in the United Kingdom, or elsewhere.”

Uncertain Future and Potential Resolutions

Burgess was fired from the facility in recent months following the passing of Eos, an sick beluga the park staff had to euthanize. She said the facility thought details of the death were leaked to the news outlets and she was fired not long after.

The lack of clarity over the whales’ outcome has left her and other caretakers in despair. She says the facility’s ultimatum to end the lives of its whales is a bargaining chip and is a “extremely difficult” undertaking, adding any plans to euthanize even a individual beluga would require “immense personnel”, vehicles and specialized tools.

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

She supports requests for the whales to be transferred immediately from the park, with its failing enclosures and shrinking team.

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

“Granting the application would have meant a ongoing life in enclosure and a reversion to public entertainment,” the minister commented. “As society, we know that marine mammals are meant for the wild, not in pools for our entertainment. I could not in clear conscience approve an export that would continue the situation these belugas have endured.”

But the former trainer said the minister’s comments indicate a more general lack of awareness of the facts of living conditions for belugas living their whole lives in enclosures.

“The people needs to understand these are whales that have existed solely 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 straightforward as saying ‘close it down’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Continuing Discussion

As authorities struggle to find a answer, proposals have emerged, some of which have little basis in reality. A suggested plan called for the belugas to be let go into the natural habitat of Canada’s north – where whales are a primary resource of food for Inuit communities.

A suggested refuge in the province of Nova Scotia, which has received regulatory clearance, has proven highly debated. The future facility, which includes 100 acres of penned in ocean, remains undeveloped. Supporters remain optimistic that it could eventually represent a permanent resolution for some of the whales.

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

Different voices say the prospect of a refuge represents a changing attitudes away from animal displays and could represent a feasible solution in the coming months.

The project lead, director of the initiative, said the site will replicate the cognitive activities and nutrition the whales get from specialists, albeit in a much larger space. He said after the well-being of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|