‘It’s deeply saddening’: the way 30 confined white whales are now pawns in conflict over animal cruelty.

Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie Botts is an cute small “ham sandwich”. The whale Orion – called “Onion Ring” – is a sizeable but guardian-like companion. Zephyr has “constant motion” and wiggles like a worm. Lillooet is the “loving presence” with a gentle spirit.

A group of thirty captive beluga whales in a Canada-based entertainment facility have been caught in a tussle between a closed attraction, local and national governments and animal rights activists.

But those most familiar with the whales say the impassioned debate over their destiny often ignores the nuances of the whales who, after living their entire lives in confinement, have been thoroughly researched by the humans who interact with them daily.

After the national authorities blocked the export of the belugas to China, the embattled attraction near the famous falls where they are kept warned to put them down unless the government funds the cost of keeping them alive. Canada’s fisheries minister has denied that demand, placing the 30 whales in an increasingly precarious situation.

Highly Cognitive Sea Creatures

Experts say that belugas’ neuroanatomy, along with their sound replication, cognitive challenges and group interactions point to they are highly cognitive mammals – something one caretaker learned personally.

She spent three years as a beluga trainer, a job that involved gaining confidence of the marine predators.

“Building up those connections over time takes a lot of regularity and a lot of affection. At the beginning, they’re very wary of you,” she said. “In time, you gain shared confidence. And they start being more trusting with you. It’s just so wonderful and rewarding.”

Burgess knew the whales were exceptionally cognitive, but she says she was nonetheless surprised by the subtleties and quirks in their dispositions. She cultivated a deep bond for a pair of whales with different temperaments.

“Eve chose me. Cleo made me earn it,” she said. “Each transformed the way I perceive connection.”

Growing Opposition and Facility Decline

Her interaction with the whales evolved against a backdrop of rising activist criticism to their confinement.

During her tenure at the park, multiple belugas and the park’s single orca, the orca, succumbed. In total, nineteen belugas have perished at the park since 2019, a statistic which the park links to expected lifespan, but which campaigners say points to the inadequate care in which they were kept.

The park did not admit visitors to the public over the recent season, but the former trainer says she saw with her own eyes effects of the closure. “Structural materials is falling apart from the pools because they’re falling apart and not being repaired. The whales are inquisitive and so they take pieces and navigate with fragments in their mouth. It’s upsetting to see.”

The park did not comment to a questionnaire, but previously asserted: “The whales … receive far superior medical attention and 24/7 supervision than any individual in the Britain, or other places.”

Uncertain Future and Potential Resolutions

Burgess was terminated from the park in recent months following the death of a beluga, an unwell beluga the caretakers had to put down. She said the facility thought particulars of the incident were disclosed to the media and she was fired shortly thereafter.

The ambiguity over the whales’ fate has left her and staff members in despair. She says the facility’s warning to end the lives of its whales is a leverage tool and is a “extremely difficult” endeavor, adding any efforts to put down even a individual beluga would require “immense personnel”, equipment and machinery.

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

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

In late September, the nation’s fisheries minister denied a request to transfer the whales to an overseas location.

“To approve the application would have meant a ongoing situation in captivity and a reversion to public entertainment,” the minister stated. “As the public, we know that whales should be in the sea, not in pools for our enjoyment. I could not in good conscience authorize an relocation that would perpetuate the situation these belugas have endured.”

But the former trainer said the minister’s statements reveal a wider lack of awareness of the facts of existence for belugas raised in confinement.

“The public needs to grasp these are whales that have existed solely in enclosed habitats and they will need ongoing assistance for the rest of their years,” she said. “Many just don’t realize that it’s not as straightforward as saying ‘end operations’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Continuing Discussion

As decision makers attempt to find a solution, ideas have been put forward, some of which have questionable practicality. One proposal called for the belugas to be freed into the wilds of the Arctic – where whales are a important part of food for local populations.

A planned sanctuary in the region of Nova Scotia, which recently received government approval, has shown to be contentious. The prospective location, which includes a large area of enclosed sea water, remains undeveloped. Supporters remain hopeful that it could in time represent a long term resolution for eight of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among staff she’s spoken with, there is “skepticism there” about what she said is “merely an experiment” in the whales’ fate.

Different voices say the possibility of a refuge reflects a broader global shift away from captive facilities and could represent a viable solution in the coming months.

The project lead, leader of the sanctuary project, said the facility will simulate the cognitive activities and nutrition the whales get from specialists, albeit in a much larger area. He said after the well-being of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|