It is devastating’: the way 30 confined beluga whales are being used as bargaining chips in row over animal welfare.

The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie is an cute small “sweetheart”. The whale Orion – nicknamed “Onion Ring” – is a large but fiercely protective friend. Zephyr has “constant motion” and wiggles like a worm. Lillooet the beluga is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a heart of gold.

A group of thirty captive marine mammals in a Canada-based entertainment facility have been entangled in a disagreement between a defunct facility, local and national governments and advocacy groups.

But those closest to the whales say the heated discussion over their future often fails to consider the nuances of the whales who, after growing up in enclosed habitats, have been thoroughly researched by the people who interact with them daily.

After the federal government prevented the sale of the belugas to a foreign facility, the struggling attraction near the famous falls where they are held warned to euthanize them unless the authorities covers the upkeep of their care. Canada’s marine resources official has denied that request, placing the thirty whales in an dangerously unstable circumstance.

Intelligent Sea Creatures

Experts say that belugas’ brain structure, along with their sound replication, problem solving and group interactions suggest they are deeply intelligent animals – something one caretaker discovered first-hand.

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

“Developing those relationships over time takes a lot of regularity and a lot of love. At the outset, they’re very cautious of you,” she said. “In time, you gain mutual trust. And they start being more open with you. It’s just so extraordinary and rewarding.”

Burgess knew the whales were very smart, but she says she was even so surprised by the subtleties and unique traits in their dispositions. She cultivated a special affection for a pair of whales with opposing temperaments.

“Eve accepted me. Cleo made me earn it,” she said. “Each transformed the way I understand bonding.”

Growing Opposition and Facility Decline

Burgess’s connection with the whales progressed against a backdrop of rising activist criticism to their captivity.

During her tenure at the park, multiple belugas and the park’s one killer whale, the orca, passed away. In all, nineteen belugas have perished at the park since 2019, a statistic which the park attributes to expected lifespan, but which activists say points to the poor conditions in which they were maintained.

The facility did not admit visitors to the guests over the recent season, but the former trainer says she observed directly results of the shutdown. “Structural materials is falling apart from the enclosures because they’re in disrepair and not being fixed. The whales are inquisitive and so they grab fragments and move about with pieces in their jaws. It’s upsetting to see.”

The facility did not comment to a questionnaire, but previously stated: “The whales … get far superior health care and 24/7 care than any person in the United Kingdom, or elsewhere.”

Fate in Limbo and Proposed Solutions

The former employee was terminated from the facility in the spring following the passing of a beluga, an unwell beluga the caretakers had to put down. She said the facility thought details of the death were leaked to the press and she was fired not long after.

The uncertainty over the whales’ future has left her and staff members in despair. She says the park’s ultimatum to kill its whales is a leverage tool and is a “logistically impossible” task, adding any plans to humanely kill even a single beluga would require “considerable staff”, vehicles and machinery.

“It’s impossible in hell the caretakers would ever do it,” she said.

She supports calls for the whales to be taken right away from the facility, with its deteriorating pools and shrinking team.

In the autumn, Canada’s government official denied a bid to export the whales to China.

“To approve the request would have meant a ongoing situation in enclosure and a return to performance for audiences,” the official commented. “As the public, we know that belugas should be in the ocean, not in tanks for our enjoyment. I could not in ethical standing authorize an export that would perpetuate the treatment these belugas have suffered.”

But the former trainer said the official’s remarks indicate a broader misunderstanding of the realities of living conditions for belugas living their whole lives in enclosures.

“The public needs to grasp these are whales that have spent their whole lives in enclosed habitats and they will need ongoing assistance for the rest of their years,” she said. “The public just don’t comprehend that it’s not as straightforward as saying ‘end operations’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Ongoing Debate

As authorities attempt to find a resolution, suggestions have been put forward, some of which have questionable practicality. An idea called for the belugas to be released into the wilds of northern regions – where whales are a important part of food for local populations.

A planned refuge in the region of eastern Canada, which has received regulatory clearance, has proven highly debated. The prospective facility, which includes 100 acres of enclosed sea water, doesn’t yet exist. Advocates remain positive that it could eventually represent a long term resolution for eight of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among staff she’s discussed with, there is “doubts there” about what she said is “merely an experiment” in the whales’ fate.

Different voices say the idea of a sanctuary represents a changing attitudes away from animal displays and could represent a viable approach in the short term.

Charles Vinick, director of the sanctuary project, said the site will replicate the cognitive activities and feeding regimen the whales obtain from trainers, albeit in a significantly bigger environment. He said after the health of whales is fully assessed, which could take months|an extended period|