‘It’s deeply saddening’: how thirty captive beluga whales have become tools in conflict over animal cruelty.

The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie Botts is an cute small “sweetheart”. The whale Orion – called “Onion” – is a sizeable but very loyal companion. Another whale, Zephyr has “ants in his pants” and moves like a worm. Lillooet the beluga is the “most affectionate” with a kind nature.

Thirty enclosed beluga whales in a Canadian entertainment facility have become pawns in a struggle between a shuttered park, government authorities and animal rights activists.

But those most familiar with the whales say the intense debate over their fate often ignores the complexities of the whales who, after spending their lives in confinement, have been carefully observed by the people who work with them regularly.

After the national authorities prevented the transfer of the belugas to a foreign facility, the embattled amusement park near Niagara Falls where they are held warned to put them down unless the federal government covers the upkeep of their survival. Canada’s marine resources official has denied that ultimatum, placing the thirty whales in an ever more uncertain position.

Intelligent Sea Creatures

Scientists say that belugas’ neuroanatomy, along with their vocal imitation skills, problem solving and communal behavior indicate they are highly cognitive mammals – something Kristy Burgess observed first-hand.

Burgess spent several years as a whale caretaker, a job that required 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. “In time, you gain mutual trust. And they start being more vulnerable with you. It’s just so wonderful and rewarding.”

The trainer knew the whales were highly intelligent, but she says she was nonetheless surprised by the subtleties and unique traits in their characters. She formed a particular love for a pair of whales with different temperaments.

“One whale selected me. The other made me earn it,” she said. “Both changed the way I understand relationships.”

Public Concerns and Deteriorating Conditions

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

During her tenure at the park, multiple belugas and the park’s one killer whale, Kiska, passed away. In all, nineteen belugas have perished at the park since recent years, a toll which the facility links to natural mortality, but which campaigners say reflects the inadequate care in which they were maintained.

The park did not operate to the guests over the recent season, but Burgess says she witnessed firsthand consequences of the closure. “Structural materials is deteriorating from the tanks because they’re falling apart and not being fixed. The whales are inquisitive and so they take pieces and move about with fragments in their mouth. It’s heartbreaking to see.”

The park did not reply to a request for comment, but earlier stated: “The whales … receive far better medical attention and around the clock care than any human in the United Kingdom, or elsewhere.”

Uncertain Future and Proposed Solutions

Burgess was terminated from the park in early March following the demise of a beluga, an unwell beluga the employees had to put down. She said the park thought particulars of the incident were disclosed to the news outlets and she was fired not long after.

The ambiguity over the whales’ fate has left Burgess and current and former trainers in anguish. She says the park’s ultimatum to kill its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “extremely difficult” undertaking, adding any attempts to put down even a single beluga would require “significant staff”, vehicles and specialized tools.

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

Burgess backs calls for the whales to be transferred immediately from the facility, with its crumbling tanks and dwindling staff.

In the autumn, the nation’s government official rejected a bid to send the whales to China.

“Allowing the proposal would have meant a continued life in captivity and a reversion to performance for audiences,” the minister wrote. “As the public, we know that whales are meant for the wild, not in tanks for our enjoyment. I could not in ethical standing authorize an transfer that would perpetuate the conditions these belugas have endured.”

But Burgess said the official’s comments indicate a wider misunderstanding of the circumstances of existence for belugas raised in confinement.

“The people needs to realize these are whales that have lived entirely in captivity and they will need constant supervision for the rest of their years,” she said. “Many just don’t comprehend that it’s not as simple as saying ‘shut it down’.”

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 open waters of Canada’s north – where whales are a primary resource of sustenance for local populations.

A suggested sanctuary in the region of eastern Canada, which now received regulatory clearance, has been contentious. The planned site, which includes 100 acres of enclosed sea water, remains undeveloped. Supporters remain optimistic that it could ultimately represent a long term resolution for a number of the whales.

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

Others say the idea of a protected habitat indicates a changing attitudes away from animal displays and could represent a viable solution in the near future.

The project lead, head of the plan, said the facility will mimic the cognitive activities and nutrition the whales obtain from specialists, albeit in a much larger area. He said after the well-being of whales is completely examined, which could take months|an extended period|