‘It’s devastating’: how thirty captive beluga whales are being used as pawns in row over inhumane treatment.

Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie Botts is an cute little “ham sandwich”. Orion – nicknamed “Onion” – is a sizeable but very loyal companion. Another whale, Zephyr has “endless energy” and sways like a wiggly creature. Lillooet is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a heart of gold.

A group of thirty enclosed marine mammals in a Canada-based amusement park have been entangled in a disagreement between a defunct facility, government authorities and advocacy groups.

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

After the Canadian government blocked the sale of the belugas to a foreign facility, the controversial amusement park near Niagara Falls where they are kept stated it would consider to end their lives unless the federal government funds the upkeep of their survival. Canada’s fisheries minister has denied that request, placing the 30 whales in an ever more uncertain situation.

Intelligent Marine Mammals

Experts say that belugas’ neural makeup, along with their sound replication, problem solving and communal behavior point to they are deeply intelligent animals – something Kristy Burgess discovered first-hand.

She spent a significant period as a whale caretaker, a position that involved earning the trust of the sea creatures.

“Building up those relationships over time takes a lot of dedication and a lot of love. At the start, they’re very unsure of you,” she said. “Over time, you gain shared confidence. And they start being more vulnerable with you. It’s just so extraordinary and gratifying.”

The trainer knew the whales were exceptionally cognitive, but she says she was even so amazed by the nuances and idiosyncrasies in their dispositions. She developed a special affection for two female belugas with contrasting temperaments.

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

Growing Opposition and Facility Decline

Burgess’s relationship with the whales progressed against a backdrop of growing public opposition to their confinement.

During her tenure at the facility, seven belugas and the park’s one orca, the orca, died. In all, 19 belugas have perished at the park since 2019, a number which the park ascribes to natural mortality, but which advocates say points to the poor conditions in which they were housed.

The park did not operate to the visitors over the recent season, but Burgess says she observed directly consequences of the closure. “Concrete is deteriorating from the tanks because they’re in disrepair and not being maintained. The whales are exploratory and so they pick it up and navigate with chunks in their mouth. It’s distressing to see.”

The facility did not respond to a request for comment, but earlier stated: “The whales … get far superior veterinary services and 24/7 attention than any human in the Britain, or anywhere else.”

Uncertain Future and Potential Resolutions

The former employee was terminated from the facility in the spring following the death of Eos, an unwell beluga the employees had to euthanize. She said the park thought particulars of the death were disclosed to the news outlets and she was let go not long after.

The ambiguity over the whales’ future has left her and other caretakers in despair. She says the facility’s ultimatum to kill its whales is a bargaining chip and is a “practically unfeasible” endeavor, adding any plans to put down even a one beluga would require “considerable personnel”, vehicles and specialized tools.

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

Burgess advocates for calls for the whales to be transferred promptly from the facility, with its deteriorating pools and dwindling staff.

In recent months, Canada’s fisheries minister rejected a bid to send the whales to an overseas location.

“To approve the application would have meant a perpetual situation in confinement and a reversion to performance for audiences,” the minister wrote. “As Canadians, we know that marine mammals should be in the ocean, not in tanks for our entertainment. I could not in clear conscience permit an relocation that would perpetuate the situation these belugas have suffered.”

But the former trainer said the minister’s statements reveal a more general misunderstanding of the realities of existence for belugas raised in confinement.

“The public needs to grasp these are whales that have existed solely in confinement and they will need constant supervision for the remainder of their lives,” she said. “Many just don’t understand that it’s not as simple as saying ‘shut it down’.”

Alternative Habitat and Ongoing Debate

As officials work to find a solution, ideas have emerged, some of which have minimal feasibility. A suggested plan called for the belugas to be let go into the natural habitat of northern regions – where whales are a important part of food for Inuit communities.

A proposed refuge in the region of eastern Canada, which has received official endorsement, has proven highly debated. The prospective location, which includes 100 acres of enclosed sea water, doesn’t yet exist. Advocates remain hopeful that it could in time represent a permanent resolution for a number of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among staff she’s consulted, there is “no trust there” about what she said is “simply an experiment” in the whales’ well-being.

Different voices say the idea of a sanctuary indicates a changing attitudes away from animal displays and could represent a workable plan in the coming months.

The project lead, leader of the plan, said the facility will mimic the intellectual stimulation and feeding regimen the whales receive from trainers, albeit in a more expansive space. He said after the health of whales is completely examined, which could take months|an extended period|