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Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie Botts is an adorable little “ham sandwich”. Orion – nicknamed “Onion Ring” – is a sizeable but guardian-like companion. Another whale, Zephyr has “endless energy” and sways like a worm. Lillooet is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a gentle spirit.

A group of thirty enclosed marine mammals in a Canada-based amusement park have been caught in a struggle between a defunct facility, local and national governments and animal rights activists.

But those closest to the whales say the impassioned discussion over their fate often overlooks the complexities of the whales who, after growing up in captivity, have been closely studied by the caretakers who interact with them daily.

After the federal government disallowed the export of the belugas to a foreign facility, the controversial attraction near Niagara Falls where they are held stated it would consider to put them down unless the government pays for the cost of their survival. The nation’s fisheries minister has refused that request, placing the 30 whales in an ever more uncertain situation.

Intelligent Sea Creatures

Researchers say that beluga whales’ neural makeup, along with their mimicry abilities, problem solving and group interactions suggest they are deeply intelligent mammals – something Kristy Burgess observed first-hand.

Burgess spent several years as a whale caretaker, a role that involved gaining confidence of the aquatic animals.

“Building up those bonds over time takes a lot of dedication and a lot of love. At the outset, they’re very wary of you,” she said. “Over time, you gain mutual trust. And they start being more vulnerable with you. It’s just so wonderful and rewarding.”

Burgess knew the whales were very smart, but she says she was nonetheless surprised by the subtleties and idiosyncrasies in their personalities. She cultivated a particular love for a pair of whales with different temperaments.

“Eve accepted me. The other demanded work,” she said. “Both transformed the way I understand connection.”

Growing Opposition and Facility Decline

Her interaction with the whales evolved against a backdrop of growing public opposition to their enclosure.

During her tenure at the facility, seven belugas and the park’s one killer whale, Kiska, passed away. In total, 19 belugas have perished at the park since recent years, a toll which the park links to natural mortality, but which campaigners say points to the substandard environment in which they were kept.

The park did not admit visitors to the guests over the summer, but Burgess says she observed directly results of the shutdown. “Concrete is deteriorating from the tanks because they’re in disrepair and not being maintained. The whales are exploratory and so they take pieces and move about with pieces in their mouth. It’s distressing to see.”

The park did not reply to a questionnaire, but earlier asserted: “The whales … receive far higher quality medical attention and constant care than any person in the UK, or elsewhere.”

Fate in Limbo and Proposed Solutions

Burgess was fired from the facility in early March following the passing of Eos, an unwell beluga the park staff had to put down. She said the park suspected details of the incident were leaked to the press and she was fired soon after.

The ambiguity over the whales’ fate has left Burgess and other caretakers in anguish. She says the facility’s threat to euthanize its whales is a leverage tool and is a “practically unfeasible” endeavor, adding any attempts to euthanize even a individual beluga would require “considerable personnel”, vehicles and specialized tools.

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

Burgess backs calls for the whales to be removed promptly from the facility, with its crumbling tanks and shrinking team.

In late September, the nation’s fisheries minister turned down a proposal to send the whales to an overseas location.

“Allowing the proposal would have meant a continued existence in enclosure and a return to public entertainment,” the minister wrote. “As Canadians, we know that marine mammals should be in the wild, not in pools for our enjoyment. I could not in good conscience permit an export that would continue the situation these belugas have experienced.”

But Burgess said the minister’s remarks reflect a wider misunderstanding of the facts of life for belugas born in captivity.

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

Alternative Habitat and Continuing Discussion

As authorities work to find a solution, suggestions have been put forward, some of which have little basis in reality. A suggested plan called for the belugas to be released into the open waters of northern regions – where whales are a key source of nourishment for Indigenous peoples.

A planned protected area in the province of Nova Scotia, which recently received regulatory clearance, has shown to be contentious. The prospective site, which includes extensive space of penned in ocean, is not yet built. Proponents remain positive that it could in time represent a long term solution for eight of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among staff she’s consulted, there is “no trust there” about what she said is “only an experiment” in the whales’ future.

Some experts say the idea of a protected habitat indicates a worldwide trend away from animal displays and could represent a viable solution in the short term.

The project lead, head of the initiative, said the site will simulate the cognitive activities and diet 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|