‘It’s heartbreaking’: how 30 confined white whales are being used as pawns in row over inhumane treatment.

Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie is an adorable little “ham sandwich”. Orion – called “Onion” – is a sizeable but guardian-like companion. Another whale, Zephyr has “constant motion” and moves like a wiggly creature. Lillooet the beluga is the “loving presence” with a gentle spirit.

Thirty captive beluga whales in a Canadian entertainment facility have been entangled in a disagreement between a shuttered park, public officials and advocacy groups.

But those closest to the whales say the intense controversy over their fate often fails to consider the nuances of the whales who, after spending their lives in confinement, have been carefully observed by the people who work with them regularly.

After the federal government disallowed the sale of the belugas to China, the controversial amusement park near the famous falls where they are housed stated it would consider to euthanize them unless the federal government covers the upkeep of their care. Canada’s fisheries minister has refused that demand, placing the 30 whales in an increasingly precarious situation.

Highly Cognitive Sea Creatures

Experts say that beluga whales’ neuroanatomy, along with their vocal imitation skills, problem solving and group interactions suggest they are highly cognitive mammals – something a former trainer discovered personally.

She spent several years as a whale caretaker, a role that entailed gaining confidence of the marine predators.

“Building up those relationships over time takes a lot of consistency and a lot of care. At the start, they’re very cautious of you,” she said. “Eventually, you gain mutual trust. And they start being more trusting with you. It’s just so magical and rewarding.”

Burgess knew the whales were very smart, but she says she was nonetheless astounded by the details and quirks in their characters. She formed a special affection for Eve and Cleopatra with contrasting personalities.

“One whale accepted me. The other made me earn it,” she said. “They altered the way I perceive relationships.”

Public Concerns and Deteriorating Conditions

Burgess’s connection with the whales evolved against a backdrop of increasing societal concern to their confinement.

During her tenure at the facility, multiple belugas and the park’s single orca, the orca, succumbed. In all, 19 belugas have died at the park since 2019, a toll which the park links to expected lifespan, but which campaigners say indicates the inadequate care in which they were housed.

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 breaking off from the pools because they’re degrading and not being fixed. The whales are inquisitive and so they grab fragments and navigate with pieces in their mouth. It’s distressing to see.”

The facility did not comment to a request for comment, but in the past asserted: “The whales … obtain far superior medical attention and 24/7 care than any individual in the UK, or other places.”

Uncertain Future and Proposed Solutions

The former employee was dismissed from the park in early March following the passing of a beluga, an ailing beluga the park staff had to euthanize. She said the park believed particulars of the incident were disclosed to the press and she was fired not long after.

The ambiguity over the whales’ outcome has left her and other caretakers in despair. She says the park’s ultimatum to kill its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “extremely difficult” endeavor, adding any plans to put down even a single beluga would require “significant staff”, equipment and machinery.

“There’s no way in hell the employees would ever do it,” she said.

She backs demands for the whales to be removed right away from the facility, with its crumbling tanks and dwindling staff.

In late September, the nation’s government official denied a request to send the whales to an overseas location.

“Allowing the request would have meant a perpetual life in enclosure and a reversion to public entertainment,” the official wrote. “As society, we know that whales belong in the wild, not in enclosures for our enjoyment. I could not in clear conscience approve an export that would prolong the situation these belugas have suffered.”

But Burgess said the official’s remarks reveal a wider misunderstanding of the facts of living conditions for belugas living their whole lives in enclosures.

“The public needs to realize these are whales that have spent their whole lives in confinement and they will need human care for the remainder of their lives,” she said. “Many just don’t realize that it’s not as easy as saying ‘shut it down’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Ongoing Debate

As officials attempt to find a answer, ideas have been put forward, some of which have minimal feasibility. One proposal called for the belugas to be freed into the natural habitat of northern regions – where whales are a primary resource of sustenance for local populations.

A planned refuge in the region of eastern Canada, which has received government approval, has proven most controversial. The planned site, which includes 100 acres of penned in ocean, is not yet built. Advocates remain optimistic that it could ultimately represent a permanent solution for some of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among staff she’s consulted, there is “doubts there” about what she said is “merely an experiment” in the whales’ fate.

Different voices say the idea of a sanctuary indicates a changing attitudes away from captive facilities and could represent a viable approach in the short term.

An official, head of the sanctuary project, said the site will mimic the cognitive activities and feeding regimen the whales get from trainers, albeit in a significantly bigger area. He said after the health of whales is fully assessed, which could take months|an extended period|