‘It’s deeply saddening’: the way 30 captive beluga whales have become bargaining chips in conflict over animal welfare.

Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie Botts is an adorable small “sweetheart”. Orion – called “Onion Ring” – is a sizeable but fiercely protective companion. Another whale, Zephyr has “constant motion” and moves like a wiggly creature. Lillooet the beluga is the “most affectionate” with a heart of gold.

Thirty enclosed marine mammals in a Canadian amusement park have become pawns in a disagreement between a closed attraction, government authorities and welfare campaigners.

But those working directly with the whales say the heated discussion over their fate often ignores the nuances of the whales who, after living their entire lives in captivity, have been closely studied by the people who work with them regularly.

After the federal government prevented the sale of the belugas to a foreign facility, the embattled attraction near the famous falls where they are held warned to put them down unless the federal government covers the expense of their care. The nation’s marine resources official has denied that ultimatum, placing the thirty whales in an dangerously unstable circumstance.

Highly Cognitive Marine Mammals

Researchers say that beluga whales’ neural makeup, along with their sound replication, problem solving and communal behavior point to they are highly cognitive animals – something Kristy Burgess discovered first-hand.

She spent a significant period as a beluga trainer, a role that required gaining confidence of the sea creatures.

“Building up those bonds over time takes a lot of dedication and a lot of care. At the outset, 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 extraordinary and fulfilling.”

The trainer knew the whales were highly intelligent, but she says she was nonetheless astounded by the details and quirks in their personalities. She formed a special affection for a pair of whales with opposing natures.

“One whale accepted me. Cleo made me earn it,” she said. “Each changed the way I understand connection.”

Public Concerns and Facility Decline

Her interaction with the whales developed against a background of rising activist criticism to their captivity.

During her tenure at the facility, seven belugas and the park’s single killer whale, the orca, succumbed. In all, 19 belugas have died at the park since recent years, a toll which the facility attributes to expected lifespan, but which campaigners say points to the poor conditions in which they were housed.

The facility did not operate to the public over the recent season, but the former trainer says she observed directly results of the cessation. “Concrete is falling apart from the pools because they’re degrading and not being fixed. The whales are exploratory and so they pick it up and navigate with fragments in their jaws. It’s distressing to see.”

The park did not comment to a request for comment, but previously asserted: “The whales … obtain far superior health care and 24/7 care than any human in the UK, or elsewhere.”

Uncertain Future and Proposed Solutions

The former employee was fired from the facility in early March following the death of Eos, an sick beluga the caretakers had to humanely kill. She said the park suspected information of the death were disclosed to the news outlets and she was let go soon after.

The uncertainty over the whales’ future has left her and current and former trainers in distress. She says the facility’s threat to kill its whales is a bargaining chip and is a “practically unfeasible” undertaking, adding any efforts to put down even a single beluga would require “significant staff”, trucks and machinery.

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

She backs calls for the whales to be removed immediately from the park, with its crumbling tanks and shrinking team.

In the autumn, the nation’s fisheries minister denied a proposal to transfer the whales to an overseas location.

“Granting the proposal would have meant a continued existence in captivity and a return to performance for audiences,” the minister stated. “As the public, we know that marine mammals belong in the sea, not in pools for our amusement. I could not in good conscience permit an relocation that would prolong the situation these belugas have endured.”

But the former trainer said the minister’s comments reveal a wider misunderstanding of the facts of life for belugas born in captivity.

“The society needs to understand these are whales that have spent their whole lives in captivity and they will need human care for the foreseeable future,” she said. “The public 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, ideas have been put forward, some of which have minimal feasibility. A suggested plan called for the belugas to be freed into the open waters of northern regions – where whales are a key source of sustenance for Inuit communities.

A planned sanctuary in the region of eastern Canada, which has received regulatory clearance, has proven highly debated. The future site, which includes a large area of protected cove, doesn’t yet exist. Advocates remain optimistic that it could ultimately represent a permanent solution for a number of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among caretakers she’s spoken with, there is “doubts there” about what she said is “simply an trial” in the whales’ well-being.

Some experts say the possibility of a protected habitat indicates a broader global shift away from animal displays and could represent a viable plan in the coming months.

Charles Vinick, head of the plan, said the facility will replicate the mental engagement and diet the whales get from specialists, albeit in a more expansive area. He said after the well-being of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|