It is devastating’: how 30 confined beluga whales have become bargaining chips in conflict over inhumane treatment.

The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie Botts is an cute small “ham sandwich”. The whale Orion – nicknamed “Onion” – is a sizeable but very loyal companion. Zephyr has “constant motion” and moves like a worm. Lillooet is the “most affectionate” with a heart of gold.

Thirty captive marine mammals in a Canadian amusement park have become pawns in a disagreement between a closed attraction, government authorities and welfare campaigners.

But those working directly with the whales say the intense debate over their future often overlooks the nuances of the whales who, after spending their lives in confinement, have been carefully observed by the people who interact with them daily.

After the federal government disallowed the sale of the belugas to a foreign facility, the controversial amusement park near the famous falls where they are kept stated it would consider to put them down unless the federal government funds the cost of their survival. Canada’s marine resources official has refused that ultimatum, placing the thirty whales in an increasingly precarious situation.

Highly Cognitive Marine Mammals

Experts say that beluga whales’ neuroanatomy, along with their mimicry abilities, cognitive challenges and group interactions suggest they are highly cognitive animals – something Kristy Burgess discovered first-hand.

Burgess spent a significant period as a beluga trainer, a job that involved building relationships of the marine predators.

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

The trainer knew the whales were very smart, but she says she was nonetheless amazed by the nuances and idiosyncrasies in their characters. She developed a deep bond for a pair of whales with opposing temperaments.

“Eve chose me. Cleo made me earn it,” she said. “Each changed the way I understand relationships.”

Public Concerns and Facility Decline

Her interaction with the whales progressed against a backdrop of growing public opposition to their captivity.

During her three years at the facility, multiple belugas and the park’s one orca, the orca, passed away. In all, nineteen belugas have died at the park since 2019, a statistic which the park links to age-related causes, but which activists say indicates the poor conditions in which they were maintained.

The park did not admit visitors to the visitors over the summer, but the former trainer says she witnessed firsthand effects of the shutdown. “Structural materials is breaking off from the pools because they’re in disrepair and not being repaired. The whales are inquisitive and so they take pieces and navigate with pieces in their mouth. It’s heartbreaking to see.”

The park did not comment to a questionnaire, but in the past stated: “The whales … get far superior veterinary services and around the clock supervision than any person in the Britain, or anywhere else.”

Uncertain Future and Potential Resolutions

The former employee was fired from the facility in the spring following the death of Eos, an ailing beluga the park staff had to humanely kill. She said the facility suspected details of the incident were leaked to the media and she was fired shortly thereafter.

The ambiguity over the whales’ outcome has left Burgess and staff members in anguish. She says the facility’s ultimatum to euthanize its whales is a leverage tool and is a “extremely difficult” endeavor, adding any plans to humanely kill even a single beluga would require “significant manpower”, trucks and machinery.

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

She supports demands for the whales to be taken immediately from the park, with its failing enclosures and dwindling staff.

In recent months, Canada’s government official denied a bid to transfer the whales to an overseas location.

“To approve the application would have meant a continued existence in confinement and a return to public entertainment,” the minister commented. “As the public, we know that marine mammals belong in the wild, not in tanks for our enjoyment. I could not in clear conscience approve an relocation that would continue the conditions these belugas have endured.”

But the former trainer said the official’s statements reflect a wider incorrect perception of the realities of living conditions for belugas raised in confinement.

“The people needs to grasp these are whales that have existed solely in captivity and they will need constant supervision for the foreseeable future,” she said. “Many just don’t comprehend that it’s not as simple as saying ‘close it down’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Continuing Discussion

As decision makers struggle to find a solution, ideas have been put forward, some of which have minimal feasibility. A suggested plan called for the belugas to be freed into the natural habitat of northern regions – where whales are a primary resource of nourishment for Indigenous peoples.

A proposed sanctuary in the province of Nova Scotia, which has received regulatory clearance, has proven most controversial. The planned site, which includes a large area of enclosed sea water, remains undeveloped. Supporters remain optimistic that it could in time represent a long term resolution for a number of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among staff she’s discussed with, there is “doubts there” about what she said is “only an trial” in the whales’ fate.

Some experts say the possibility of a refuge represents a worldwide trend away from zoos and aquariums and could represent a workable approach in the near future.

An official, leader of the initiative, said the location will replicate the intellectual stimulation and diet the whales receive from specialists, albeit in a more expansive area. He said after the well-being of whales is completely examined, which could take months|an extended period|