‘It’s heartbreaking’: the way thirty captive white whales are now tools in row over animal welfare.

The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie Botts is an adorable small “playful character”. The whale Orion – called “Onion Ring” – is a large but guardian-like companion. Zephyr has “ants in his pants” and wiggles like a worm. Lillooet the beluga is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a kind nature.

A group of thirty captive marine mammals in a Canada-based amusement park have become pawns in a disagreement between a shuttered park, public officials and advocacy groups.

But those most familiar with the whales say the impassioned discussion over their fate often ignores the complexities of the whales who, after spending their lives in enclosed habitats, have been thoroughly researched by the caretakers who interact with them daily.

After the Canadian government prevented the transfer of the belugas to a foreign facility, the struggling facility near the famous falls where they are held threatened to euthanize them unless the government covers the upkeep of their survival. Canada’s fisheries minister has denied that demand, placing the thirty whales in an dangerously unstable position.

Intelligent Marine Mammals

Experts say that belugas’ neural makeup, along with their mimicry abilities, problem solving and social skills suggest they are remarkably smart animals – something one caretaker discovered directly.

She spent a significant period as a marine mammal specialist, a role that involved building relationships of the aquatic animals.

“Establishing those relationships over time takes a lot of dedication and a lot of love. At the start, they’re very wary of you,” she said. “In time, you gain reciprocal understanding. And they start being more vulnerable with you. It’s just so extraordinary and gratifying.”

The trainer knew the whales were very smart, but she says she was nevertheless astounded by the subtleties and quirks in their personalities. She developed a particular love for two female belugas with different temperaments.

“One whale accepted me. Cleo required effort,” she said. “Each changed the way I view connection.”

Public Concerns and Facility Decline

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

During her time at the facility, multiple belugas and the park’s one killer whale, Kiska, succumbed. In total, nineteen belugas have perished at the park since 2019, a number which the facility links to natural mortality, but which activists say indicates the substandard environment in which they were kept.

The park did not open to the guests over the recent season, but the former trainer says she witnessed firsthand effects of the closure. “Concrete is deteriorating from the pools because they’re degrading and not being fixed. The whales are exploratory and so they take pieces and move about with fragments in their jaws. It’s heartbreaking to see.”

The park did not reply to a inquiry, but previously stated: “The whales … get far better veterinary services and around the clock care than any person in the UK, or other places.”

Fate in Limbo and Proposed Solutions

Burgess was fired from the facility in early March following the passing of a beluga, an unwell beluga the employees had to euthanize. She said the facility suspected particulars of the death were leaked to the news outlets and she was fired soon after.

The lack of clarity over the whales’ outcome has left Burgess and current and former trainers in distress. She says the park’s threat to euthanize its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “extremely difficult” endeavor, adding any plans to euthanize even a single beluga would require “considerable manpower”, trucks and specialized tools.

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

She backs requests for the whales to be taken promptly from the facility, with its deteriorating pools and shrinking team.

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

“Allowing the application would have meant a ongoing life in enclosure and a return to public entertainment,” the official commented. “As the public, we know that belugas belong in the sea, not in enclosures for our entertainment. I could not in clear conscience permit an relocation that would continue the conditions these belugas have endured.”

But Burgess said the minister’s comments reflect a more general incorrect perception of the circumstances of living conditions for belugas raised in confinement.

“The public needs to grasp these are whales that have existed solely in captivity and they will need ongoing assistance for the rest of their years,” she said. “People just don’t understand that it’s not as simple as saying ‘close it down’.”

Alternative Habitat and Continuing Discussion

As authorities attempt to find a answer, suggestions have surfaced, some of which have questionable practicality. One proposal called for the belugas to be freed 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 recently received official endorsement, has been most controversial. The prospective location, which includes a large area of penned in ocean, remains undeveloped. Supporters remain positive that it could ultimately represent a permanent answer for eight of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among caretakers she’s consulted, there is “no trust there” about what she said is “merely an untested concept” in the whales’ future.

Others say the prospect of a sanctuary reflects a changing attitudes away from animal displays and could represent a workable solution in the short term.

The project lead, director of the plan, said the location will replicate the mental engagement and nutrition the whales get from caretakers, albeit in a more expansive space. He said after the medical condition of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|