‘It’s deeply saddening’: the way thirty captive beluga whales are being used as pawns in row over animal cruelty.

Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie is an cute little “sweetheart”. The whale Orion – nicknamed “Onion” – is a sizeable but very loyal friend. Another whale, Zephyr has “endless energy” and wiggles like a wiggly creature. Lillooet the beluga is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a kind nature.

A group of thirty enclosed marine mammals in a Canada-based entertainment facility have become pawns in a disagreement between a defunct facility, local and national governments and animal rights activists.

But those most familiar with the whales say the heated discussion over their future often ignores the individual traits of the whales who, after spending their lives in enclosed habitats, have been thoroughly researched by the people who see them each day.

After the Canadian government disallowed the export of the belugas to China, the struggling amusement park near the famous falls where they are housed warned to end their lives unless the authorities funds the cost of keeping them alive. Canada’s marine resources official has rejected that demand, placing the 30 whales in an dangerously unstable circumstance.

Intelligent Marine Mammals

Experts say that beluga whales’ neuroanatomy, along with their sound replication, cognitive challenges and communal behavior point to they are highly cognitive creatures – something a former trainer observed directly.

Burgess spent a significant period as a whale caretaker, a job that entailed gaining confidence of the aquatic animals.

“Building up those relationships over time takes a lot of consistency and a lot of affection. At the beginning, they’re very wary of you,” she said. “Over time, you gain mutual trust. And they start being more trusting with you. It’s just so extraordinary and fulfilling.”

Burgess knew the whales were highly intelligent, but she says she was even so surprised by the subtleties and idiosyncrasies in their personalities. She developed a particular love for a pair of whales with contrasting temperaments.

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

Public Concerns and Facility Decline

Burgess’s relationship with the whales developed against a context of rising activist criticism to their enclosure.

During her tenure at the park, seven belugas and the park’s single killer whale, Kiska, passed away. In total, 19 belugas have died at the park since 2019, a toll which the facility links to age-related causes, but which advocates say reflects the poor conditions in which they were maintained.

The facility did not operate to the guests over the recent season, but the former trainer says she observed directly consequences of the closure. “Concrete is deteriorating from the pools because they’re in disrepair and not being repaired. The whales are inquisitive and so they grab fragments and swim around with fragments in their mouth. It’s heartbreaking to see.”

The park did not reply to a questionnaire, but in the past claimed: “The whales … obtain far higher quality veterinary services and constant supervision than any person in the United Kingdom, or anywhere else.”

Uncertain Future and Potential Resolutions

Burgess was fired from the park in early March following the death of Eos, an ailing beluga the caretakers had to humanely kill. She said the facility suspected details of the incident were disclosed to the media and she was let go shortly thereafter.

The lack of clarity over the whales’ future has left her and other caretakers in distress. She says the park’s threat to end the lives of its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “extremely difficult” endeavor, adding any attempts to humanely kill even a single beluga would require “considerable manpower”, trucks and machinery.

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

She advocates for requests for the whales to be transferred right away from the park, with its deteriorating pools and shrinking team.

In late September, Canada’s fisheries minister rejected a proposal to send the whales to an overseas location.

“Granting the request would have meant a perpetual existence in enclosure and a return to display for amusement,” the official commented. “As society, we know that marine mammals should be in the wild, not in pools for our amusement. I could not in clear conscience authorize an relocation that would prolong the situation these belugas have experienced.”

But Burgess said the official’s statements indicate a broader incorrect perception of the facts of living conditions for belugas born in captivity.

“The people needs to grasp these are whales that have lived entirely in captivity and they will need human care for the rest of their years,” she said. “People just don’t realize that it’s not as easy as saying ‘shut it down’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Continuing Discussion

As decision makers struggle to find a answer, ideas have surfaced, some of which have questionable practicality. A suggested plan called for the belugas to be let go into the wilds of northern regions – where whales are a key source of food for Inuit communities.

A planned sanctuary in the province of Nova Scotia, which has received government approval, has proven contentious. The future site, which includes extensive space of protected cove, doesn’t yet exist. Proponents remain positive that it could in time represent a permanent solution for eight of the whales.

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

Some experts say the idea of a sanctuary reflects a worldwide trend away from captive facilities and could represent a workable solution in the short term.

Charles Vinick, leader of the plan, said the facility will mimic the cognitive activities and nutrition the whales get from caretakers, albeit in a much larger area. He said after the medical condition of whales is completely examined, which could take months|an extended period|