It is devastating’: how 30 confined white whales are being used as tools in row over animal welfare.

The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie is an adorable little “sweetheart”. Orion – nicknamed “Onion” – is a big but guardian-like friend. Another whale, Zephyr has “ants in his pants” and moves like a worm. Lillooet the beluga is the “loving presence” with a heart of gold.

Thirty enclosed beluga whales in a Canada-based amusement park have been caught in a struggle between a closed attraction, local and national governments and animal rights activists.

But those closest to the whales say the impassioned debate over their fate often ignores the complexities of the whales who, after spending their lives in captivity, have been carefully observed by the caretakers who work with them regularly.

After the Canadian government blocked the sale of the belugas to China, the controversial amusement park near the famous falls where they are kept stated it would consider to euthanize them unless the government funds the cost of their care. Canada’s marine resources official has rejected that request, placing the 30 whales in an dangerously unstable position.

Intelligent Sea Creatures

Researchers say that beluga whales’ neuroanatomy, along with their sound replication, problem solving and communal behavior indicate they are highly cognitive creatures – something one caretaker observed directly.

She spent a significant period as a beluga trainer, a role that entailed building relationships of the marine predators.

“Establishing those bonds over time takes a lot of dedication and a lot of affection. At the beginning, they’re very unsure of you,” she said. “Eventually, you gain reciprocal understanding. And they start being more vulnerable with you. It’s just so magical and fulfilling.”

The trainer knew the whales were very smart, but she says she was nonetheless amazed by the details and quirks in their dispositions. She developed a deep bond for Eve and Cleopatra with contrasting personalities.

“Eve accepted me. Cleo made me earn it,” she said. “Both altered the way I perceive relationships.”

Growing Opposition and Facility Decline

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

During her tenure at the facility, multiple belugas and the park’s one orca, Kiska, succumbed. In all, nineteen belugas have died at the park since 2019, a statistic which the facility ascribes to natural mortality, but which activists say indicates the inadequate care in which they were maintained.

The park did not operate to the public over the summer, but the former trainer says she saw with her own eyes results of the cessation. “Structural materials is deteriorating from the tanks because they’re in disrepair and not being repaired. The whales are inquisitive and so they take pieces and move about with chunks in their jaws. It’s upsetting to see.”

The facility did not comment to a request for comment, but earlier stated: “The whales … get far better veterinary services and constant attention than any human in the United Kingdom, or other places.”

Uncertain Future and Proposed Solutions

Burgess was dismissed from the facility in the spring following the passing of Eos, an sick beluga the caretakers had to euthanize. She said the park believed information of the death were disclosed to the press and she was fired soon after.

The uncertainty over the whales’ outcome has left her and other caretakers in distress. She says the park’s ultimatum to euthanize its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “logistically impossible” endeavor, adding any attempts to put down even a single beluga would require “considerable manpower”, equipment and specialized tools.

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

She supports calls for the whales to be taken immediately from the facility, with its deteriorating pools and reduced personnel.

In the autumn, Canada’s government official rejected a proposal to send the whales to China.

“Allowing the application would have meant a continued existence in captivity and a reversion to performance for audiences,” the minister stated. “As the public, we know that belugas should be in the sea, not in tanks for our enjoyment. I could not in ethical standing authorize an relocation that would prolong the conditions these belugas have endured.”

But the former trainer said the minister’s remarks reflect a more general incorrect perception of the realities of living conditions for belugas born in captivity.

“The public needs to realize these are whales that have existed solely in enclosed habitats and they will need ongoing assistance 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 Ongoing Debate

As decision makers struggle to find a answer, suggestions have been put forward, some of which have minimal feasibility. One proposal called for the belugas to be released into the natural habitat of Canada’s north – where whales are a key source of nourishment for Indigenous peoples.

A proposed refuge in the province of eastern Canada, which recently received regulatory clearance, has been highly debated. The planned facility, which includes a large area of enclosed sea water, remains undeveloped. Supporters remain positive that it could ultimately represent a long term resolution for a number of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among caretakers she’s consulted, there is “doubts there” about what she said is “simply an untested concept” in the whales’ well-being.

Others say the prospect of a protected habitat indicates a changing attitudes away from animal displays and could represent a viable plan in the short term.

The project lead, leader of the initiative, said the facility will simulate the intellectual stimulation and diet the whales receive from caretakers, albeit in a significantly bigger environment. He said after the health of whales is fully assessed, which could take months|an extended period|