It is devastating’: how thirty captive white whales are now bargaining chips in dispute over inhumane treatment.

Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie Botts is an charming small “ham sandwich”. The whale Orion – called “Onion” – is a sizeable but fiercely protective friend. Another whale, Zephyr has “endless energy” and sways like a worm. Lillooet the beluga is the “most affectionate” with a heart of gold.

Thirty captive beluga whales in a Canadian entertainment facility have become pawns in a disagreement between a shuttered park, local and national governments and animal rights activists.

But those working directly with the whales say the intense discussion over their future often overlooks the complexities of the whales who, after growing up in confinement, have been thoroughly researched by the caretakers who work with them regularly.

After the national authorities blocked the sale of the belugas to China, the embattled attraction near Niagara Falls where they are housed warned to euthanize them unless the federal government covers the cost of their care. Canada’s fisheries minister has refused that demand, placing the 30 whales in an dangerously unstable position.

Highly Cognitive Marine Mammals

Researchers say that belugas’ neural makeup, along with their vocal imitation skills, problem solving and communal behavior indicate they are remarkably smart creatures – something Kristy Burgess learned directly.

Burgess spent a significant period as a whale caretaker, a position that entailed gaining confidence of the aquatic animals.

“Developing those connections over time takes a lot of consistency and a lot of care. At the beginning, they’re very unsure of you,” she said. “Eventually, you gain mutual trust. And they start being more trusting with you. It’s just so wonderful and fulfilling.”

The trainer knew the whales were exceptionally cognitive, but she says she was nevertheless surprised by the details and idiosyncrasies in their personalities. She developed a particular love for a pair of whales with opposing temperaments.

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

Growing Opposition and Facility Decline

Burgess’s interaction with the whales evolved against a background of growing public opposition to their captivity.

During her tenure at the park, seven belugas and the park’s single orca, Kiska, passed away. In total, 19 belugas have died at the park since 2019, a toll which the park links to natural mortality, but which campaigners say points to the poor conditions in which they were kept.

The park did not admit visitors to the guests over the recent season, but Burgess says she witnessed firsthand consequences of the shutdown. “Structural materials is deteriorating from the tanks because they’re degrading and not being maintained. The whales are exploratory and so they pick it up and move about with pieces in their mouth. It’s upsetting to see.”

The park did not reply to a inquiry, but previously asserted: “The whales … obtain far higher quality veterinary services and constant attention than any individual in the United Kingdom, or other places.”

Uncertain Future and Potential Resolutions

Burgess was dismissed from the facility in recent months following the passing of Eos, an unwell beluga the employees had to euthanize. She said the park suspected particulars of the death were shared to the news outlets and she was fired shortly thereafter.

The ambiguity over the whales’ fate has left her and staff members in despair. She says the park’s ultimatum to euthanize its whales is a leverage tool and is a “logistically impossible” endeavor, adding any efforts to euthanize even a single beluga would require “immense staff”, equipment and specialized tools.

“It cannot happen in hell the caretakers would ever do it,” she said.

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

In the autumn, Canada’s government official turned down a request to transfer the whales to China.

“Allowing the request would have meant a ongoing situation in confinement and a reversion to display for amusement,” the minister wrote. “As society, we know that belugas should be in the wild, not in pools for our enjoyment. I could not in good conscience approve an relocation that would continue the situation these belugas have experienced.”

But Burgess said the official’s comments indicate a broader incorrect perception of the facts of existence for belugas living their whole lives in enclosures.

“The public needs to grasp these are whales that have spent their whole lives in captivity 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 ‘shut it down’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Ongoing Debate

As decision makers work to find a resolution, suggestions have emerged, some of which have minimal feasibility. One proposal called for the belugas to be let go into the open waters of the Arctic – where whales are a important part of sustenance for Indigenous peoples.

A suggested sanctuary in the region of Nova Scotia, which now received regulatory clearance, has proven contentious. The planned site, which includes a large area of penned in ocean, is not yet built. Proponents remain positive that it could in time represent a permanent resolution for some of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among staff she’s consulted, there is “skepticism there” about what she said is “only an trial” in the whales’ well-being.

Some experts say the prospect of a sanctuary indicates a worldwide trend away from animal displays and could represent a workable approach in the near future.

The project lead, director of the sanctuary project, said the facility will mimic the cognitive activities and feeding regimen the whales receive from specialists, albeit in a significantly bigger area. He said after the medical condition of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|