It is devastating’: the way 30 captive beluga whales are now tools in dispute over inhumane treatment.

The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie Botts is an cute little “sweetheart”. Orion – called “Onion” – is a large but very loyal friend. Zephyr has “ants in his pants” and moves like a worm. Lillooet the beluga is the “most affectionate” with a gentle spirit.

Thirty captive beluga whales in a Canada-based amusement park have become pawns in a tussle between a closed attraction, government authorities and welfare campaigners.

But those closest to the whales say the intense debate over their future often ignores the individual traits of the whales who, after growing up in confinement, have been closely studied by the humans who work with them regularly.

After the national authorities disallowed the sale of the belugas to a foreign facility, the controversial amusement park near Niagara Falls where they are kept threatened to euthanize them unless the federal government pays for the upkeep of their care. Canada’s fisheries minister has refused that request, placing the thirty whales in an ever more uncertain circumstance.

Highly Cognitive Sea Creatures

Scientists say that belugas’ neural makeup, along with their sound replication, problem solving and group interactions indicate they are remarkably smart creatures – something a former trainer observed directly.

Burgess spent several years as a whale caretaker, a job that entailed earning the trust 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. “In time, you gain shared confidence. And they start being more trusting with you. It’s just so extraordinary and rewarding.”

Burgess knew the whales were exceptionally cognitive, but she says she was nevertheless amazed by the nuances and quirks in their characters. She cultivated a special affection for a pair of whales with contrasting personalities.

“Eve selected me. Cleo demanded work,” she said. “They changed the way I view relationships.”

Public Concerns and Deteriorating Conditions

Her connection with the whales developed against a context of rising activist criticism to their captivity.

During her time at the attraction, multiple belugas and the park’s one orca, the orca, passed away. In total, nineteen belugas have perished at the park since 2019, a number which the facility attributes to age-related causes, but which activists say reflects the poor conditions in which they were kept.

The facility did not admit visitors to the public over the recent season, but Burgess says she saw with her own eyes consequences of the cessation. “Concrete is deteriorating from the tanks because they’re falling apart and not being maintained. The whales are inquisitive and so they grab fragments and navigate with fragments in their mouth. It’s upsetting to see.”

The facility did not respond to a request for comment, but earlier claimed: “The whales … receive far superior health care and constant supervision than any person in the UK, or anywhere else.”

Uncertain Future and Potential Resolutions

The former employee was terminated from the facility in early March following the passing of a beluga, an unwell beluga the employees had to humanely kill. She said the park suspected information of the death were shared to the press and she was released soon after.

The ambiguity over the whales’ fate has left her and current and former trainers in anguish. She says the facility’s ultimatum to kill its whales is a leverage tool and is a “logistically impossible” undertaking, adding any efforts to humanely kill even a one beluga would require “significant personnel”, vehicles and heavy equipment.

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

Burgess backs requests for the whales to be taken right away from the park, with its deteriorating pools and dwindling staff.

In the autumn, the nation’s fisheries minister rejected a request to export the whales to an overseas location.

“Granting the application would have meant a continued situation in enclosure and a reversion to public entertainment,” the minister commented. “As society, we know that whales should be in the wild, not in pools for our enjoyment. I could not in clear conscience permit an transfer that would perpetuate the treatment these belugas have suffered.”

But Burgess said the official’s statements reveal a more general misunderstanding of the facts of existence for belugas living their whole lives in enclosures.

“The people needs to grasp these are whales that have spent their whole lives in enclosed habitats and they will need human care for the foreseeable future,” she said. “The public just don’t comprehend that it’s not as straightforward as saying ‘close it down’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Continuing Discussion

As decision makers attempt to find a solution, ideas have emerged, some of which have little basis in reality. One proposal called for the belugas to be released into the wilds of Canada’s north – where whales are a primary resource of food for local populations.

A planned refuge in the region of eastern Canada, which recently received regulatory clearance, has been highly debated. The planned facility, which includes a large area of protected cove, remains undeveloped. Supporters remain hopeful that it could eventually represent a permanent answer for some of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among trainers she’s spoken with, there is “doubts there” about what she said is “only an untested concept” in the whales’ future.

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

Charles Vinick, leader of the plan, said the location will mimic the mental engagement and feeding regimen the whales get from caretakers, albeit in a significantly bigger space. He said after the medical condition of whales is fully assessed, which could take months|an extended period|