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The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie Botts is an charming little “playful character”. Orion – called “Onion Ring” – is a large but very loyal companion. Zephyr has “constant motion” and wiggles like a wiggly creature. Lillooet is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a gentle spirit.

A group of thirty enclosed marine mammals in a Canadian entertainment facility have been entangled in a tussle between a shuttered park, government authorities and animal rights activists.

But those closest to the whales say the heated discussion over their destiny often fails to consider the nuances of the whales who, after living their entire lives in enclosed habitats, have been thoroughly researched by the humans who see them each day.

After the national authorities prevented the sale of the belugas to China, the controversial facility near Niagara Falls where they are housed threatened to euthanize them unless the government funds the upkeep of their survival. The nation’s fisheries minister has refused that request, placing the thirty whales in an dangerously unstable position.

Highly Cognitive Sea Creatures

Researchers say that belugas’ brain structure, along with their mimicry abilities, problem solving and communal behavior indicate they are highly cognitive animals – something Kristy Burgess discovered directly.

Burgess spent three years as a whale caretaker, a role that required building relationships of the marine predators.

“Establishing those relationships over time takes a lot of consistency and a lot of affection. At the beginning, they’re very unsure of you,” she said. “Over time, you gain reciprocal understanding. And they start being more trusting with you. It’s just so magical and rewarding.”

Burgess knew the whales were exceptionally cognitive, but she says she was nevertheless astounded by the nuances and quirks in their characters. She formed a particular love for a pair of whales with different natures.

“Eve selected me. Cleo demanded work,” she said. “They transformed the way I understand relationships.”

Public Concerns and Deteriorating Conditions

Her interaction with the whales progressed against a backdrop of rising activist criticism to their enclosure.

During her time at the attraction, multiple belugas and the park’s one killer whale, Kiska, passed away. In all, 19 belugas have died at the park since recent years, a number which the facility links to expected lifespan, but which advocates say points to the substandard environment in which they were housed.

The park did not operate to the guests over the summer, but Burgess says she witnessed firsthand effects of the closure. “Structural materials is deteriorating from the pools because they’re in disrepair and not being repaired. The whales are inquisitive and so they grab fragments 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 … get far higher quality health care and around the clock care than any individual in the Britain, or anywhere else.”

Uncertain Future and Proposed Solutions

The former employee was fired from the park in early March following the demise of a beluga, an sick beluga the park staff had to put down. She said the park thought details of the death were disclosed to the news outlets and she was fired soon after.

The lack of clarity over the whales’ future 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 negotiation tactic and is a “extremely difficult” undertaking, adding any plans to humanely kill even a one beluga would require “significant manpower”, equipment and machinery.

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

She supports requests for the whales to be taken immediately from the park, with its crumbling tanks and reduced personnel.

In late September, the nation’s government official turned down a bid to transfer the whales to an overseas location.

“To approve the proposal would have meant a ongoing existence in captivity and a return to public entertainment,” the minister commented. “As the public, we know that whales are meant for the wild, not in enclosures for our amusement. I could not in ethical standing approve an relocation that would perpetuate the treatment these belugas have experienced.”

But Burgess said the official’s comments reflect a broader lack of awareness of the facts of living conditions for belugas living their whole lives in enclosures.

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

Alternative Habitat and Continuing Discussion

As officials struggle to find a answer, ideas have emerged, some of which have minimal feasibility. A suggested plan called for the belugas to be freed into the natural habitat of Canada’s north – where whales are a important part of food for Inuit communities.

A proposed protected area in the province of Nova Scotia, which now received regulatory clearance, has proven most controversial. The future location, which includes 100 acres of enclosed sea water, remains undeveloped. Supporters remain hopeful that it could in time represent a permanent resolution for eight of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among caretakers she’s consulted, there is “no trust there” about what she said is “simply an experiment” in the whales’ fate.

Some experts say the prospect of a protected habitat represents a changing attitudes away from animal displays and could represent a workable plan in the short term.

The project lead, head of the plan, said the location will replicate the mental engagement and feeding regimen the whales receive from caretakers, albeit in a more expansive area. He said after the medical condition of whales is completely examined, which could take months|an extended period|