It is devastating’: the way 30 captive beluga whales are being used as pawns in dispute over animal cruelty.

The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie Botts is an charming little “sweetheart”. Orion – nicknamed “Onion” – is a large but fiercely protective companion. Zephyr has “ants in his pants” and moves like a wiggly creature. Lillooet the beluga is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a gentle spirit.

Thirty enclosed beluga whales in a Canada-based entertainment facility have been entangled in a tussle between a shuttered park, public officials and advocacy groups.

But those most familiar with the whales say the impassioned debate over their destiny often fails to consider the individual traits of the whales who, after spending their lives in captivity, have been carefully observed by the people who interact with them daily.

After the federal government disallowed the export of the belugas to China, the controversial amusement park near Niagara Falls where they are housed warned to end their lives unless the government covers the upkeep of their survival. Canada’s fisheries minister has denied that ultimatum, placing the thirty whales in an increasingly precarious position.

Intelligent Marine Mammals

Experts say that beluga whales’ neuroanatomy, along with their vocal imitation skills, cognitive challenges and communal behavior suggest they are remarkably smart mammals – something Kristy Burgess discovered first-hand.

Burgess spent three years as a beluga trainer, a position that required gaining confidence of the marine predators.

“Building up those bonds over time takes a lot of consistency and a lot of love. At the start, they’re very unsure of you,” she said. “In time, you gain reciprocal understanding. And they start being more open with you. It’s just so wonderful and gratifying.”

Burgess knew the whales were exceptionally cognitive, but she says she was nevertheless surprised by the details and quirks in their personalities. She developed a deep bond for Eve and Cleopatra with different natures.

“One whale chose me. The other made me earn it,” she said. “Both changed the way I view connection.”

Growing Opposition and Facility Decline

Her interaction with the whales evolved against a context of rising activist criticism to their confinement.

During her three years at the attraction, multiple belugas and the park’s single killer whale, Kiska, succumbed. In all, 19 belugas have died at the park since 2019, a toll which the facility attributes to natural mortality, but which campaigners say indicates the substandard environment in which they were housed.

The facility did not open to the guests over the summer, but the former trainer says she observed directly effects of the cessation. “Concrete is deteriorating from the enclosures because they’re degrading and not being fixed. The whales are exploratory and so they grab fragments and swim around with fragments in their jaws. It’s heartbreaking to see.”

The facility did not reply to a inquiry, but in the past claimed: “The whales … receive far superior health care and constant care than any person in the UK, or elsewhere.”

Uncertain Future and Potential Resolutions

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

The uncertainty over the whales’ fate has left her and current and former trainers in despair. She says the park’s ultimatum to kill its whales is a bargaining chip and is a “extremely difficult” endeavor, adding any attempts to euthanize even a one beluga would require “significant staff”, trucks and specialized tools.

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

She supports calls for the whales to be transferred right away from the park, with its failing enclosures and shrinking team.

In late September, Canada’s government official turned down a proposal to send the whales to China.

“Allowing the proposal would have meant a ongoing life in enclosure and a reversion to public entertainment,” the minister wrote. “As the public, we know that belugas belong in the ocean, not in tanks for our entertainment. I could not in clear conscience permit an relocation that would continue the treatment these belugas have experienced.”

But Burgess said the minister’s statements reflect a wider incorrect perception of the circumstances of existence for belugas born in captivity.

“The people needs to realize these are whales that have existed solely in enclosed habitats and they will need ongoing assistance for the remainder of their lives,” she said. “Many just don’t comprehend that it’s not as simple as saying ‘end operations’.”

Alternative Habitat and Ongoing Debate

As officials attempt to find a solution, suggestions have surfaced, some of which have questionable practicality. 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 nourishment for Indigenous peoples.

A suggested sanctuary in the province of eastern Canada, which now received government approval, has been contentious. The prospective location, which includes a large area of enclosed sea water, remains undeveloped. Proponents remain hopeful that it could in time represent a permanent resolution for some of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among staff she’s discussed with, there is “no trust there” about what she said is “merely an untested concept” in the whales’ well-being.

Some experts say the idea of a protected habitat indicates a broader global shift away from animal displays and could represent a workable solution in the coming months.

An official, director of the sanctuary project, said the facility will replicate the mental engagement and diet the whales receive from trainers, albeit in a more expansive space. He said after the well-being of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|