It is devastating’: the way 30 confined white whales have become bargaining chips in conflict over animal cruelty.

The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie is an cute little “playful character”. Orion – nicknamed “Onion” – is a large but very loyal companion. Another whale, Zephyr has “constant motion” and sways like a wiggly creature. Lillooet is the “most affectionate” with a gentle spirit.

Thirty enclosed beluga whales in a Canadian amusement park have been caught in a disagreement between a closed attraction, government authorities and advocacy groups.

But those closest to the whales say the heated debate over their destiny often ignores the nuances of the whales who, after growing up in enclosed habitats, have been closely studied by the people who see them each day.

After the federal government blocked the transfer of the belugas to China, the struggling facility near Niagara Falls where they are kept warned to euthanize them unless the federal government covers the expense of keeping them alive. The nation’s fisheries minister has denied that request, placing the thirty whales in an ever more uncertain circumstance.

Intelligent Marine Mammals

Researchers say that beluga whales’ neural makeup, along with their mimicry abilities, intellectual tasks and group interactions suggest they are deeply intelligent mammals – something one caretaker learned personally.

She spent several years as a marine mammal specialist, a job that entailed earning the trust of the sea creatures.

“Developing those bonds over time takes a lot of regularity and a lot of care. At the start, they’re very wary of you,” she said. “Eventually, you gain reciprocal understanding. And they start being more open with you. It’s just so magical and gratifying.”

The trainer knew the whales were highly intelligent, but she says she was nevertheless amazed by the subtleties and quirks in their characters. She cultivated a deep bond for two female belugas with contrasting temperaments.

“One whale chose me. Cleo required effort,” she said. “Both changed the way I view bonding.”

Growing Opposition and Facility Decline

Burgess’s connection with the whales developed against a backdrop of increasing societal concern to their confinement.

During her time at the facility, seven belugas and the park’s one killer whale, the orca, succumbed. In total, 19 belugas have died at the park since 2019, a statistic which the facility ascribes to natural mortality, but which activists say points to the poor conditions in which they were maintained.

The park did not operate to the public over the recent season, but Burgess says she saw with her own eyes consequences of the closure. “Structural materials is breaking off from the enclosures because they’re in disrepair and not being maintained. The whales are curious and so they grab fragments and navigate with fragments in their mouth. It’s heartbreaking to see.”

The facility did not respond to a questionnaire, but earlier stated: “The whales … obtain far superior medical attention and 24/7 care than any individual in the Britain, or anywhere else.”

Uncertain Future and Potential Resolutions

Burgess was terminated from the facility in the spring following the demise of a beluga, an ailing beluga the park staff had to euthanize. She said the park thought information of the death were leaked to the press and she was let go shortly thereafter.

The uncertainty over the whales’ outcome has left Burgess and other caretakers in distress. She says the park’s warning to euthanize its whales is a bargaining chip and is a “extremely difficult” undertaking, adding any plans to put down even a single beluga would require “considerable staff”, vehicles and machinery.

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

She backs demands for the whales to be removed immediately from the park, with its failing enclosures and reduced personnel.

In the autumn, Canada’s government official turned down a request to send the whales to an overseas location.

“To approve the proposal would have meant a continued existence in enclosure and a return to performance for audiences,” the minister commented. “As the public, we know that belugas should be in the wild, not in pools for our enjoyment. I could not in ethical standing permit an transfer that would continue the treatment these belugas have endured.”

But the former trainer said the minister’s remarks reveal a more general incorrect perception of the circumstances of existence for belugas raised in confinement.

“The public needs to understand these are whales that have lived entirely in captivity and they will need constant supervision for the rest of their years,” she said. “Many just don’t understand that it’s not as simple as saying ‘close it down’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Ongoing Debate

As authorities attempt to find a resolution, ideas have surfaced, some of which have questionable practicality. One proposal called for the belugas to be freed into the natural habitat of the Arctic – where whales are a primary resource of food for local populations.

A suggested sanctuary in the province of eastern Canada, which has received government approval, has proven most controversial. The planned site, which includes a large area of penned in ocean, is not yet built. Advocates remain positive that it could eventually represent a long term answer for some of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among trainers she’s discussed with, there is “doubts there” about what she said is “merely an untested concept” in the whales’ well-being.

Others say the prospect of a refuge reflects a worldwide trend away from zoos and aquariums and could represent a feasible approach in the coming months.

The project lead, head of the sanctuary project, said the facility will mimic the cognitive activities and feeding regimen the whales obtain from trainers, albeit in a more expansive space. He said after the well-being of whales is fully assessed, which could take months|an extended period|