‘It’s deeply saddening’: the way 30 captive beluga whales are being used as tools in conflict over animal cruelty.

The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie is an adorable small “sweetheart”. The whale Orion – nicknamed “Onion” – is a sizeable but very loyal friend. Another whale, Zephyr has “ants in his pants” and wiggles like a worm. Lillooet is the “loving presence” with a gentle spirit.

A group of thirty captive marine mammals in a Canadian amusement park have been caught in a struggle between a defunct facility, government authorities and animal rights activists.

But those most familiar with the whales say the heated debate over their fate often overlooks the complexities of the whales who, after growing up in captivity, have been carefully observed by the people who see them each day.

After the Canadian government blocked the transfer of the belugas to a foreign facility, the embattled facility near Niagara Falls where they are held warned to end their lives unless the government pays for the cost of keeping them alive. Canada’s fisheries minister has refused that request, placing the thirty whales in an dangerously unstable position.

Intelligent Marine Mammals

Researchers say that beluga whales’ neuroanatomy, along with their mimicry abilities, intellectual tasks and communal behavior suggest they are highly cognitive creatures – something Kristy Burgess observed directly.

Burgess spent several years as a marine mammal specialist, a position that involved gaining confidence of the aquatic animals.

“Developing those bonds over time takes a lot of dedication and a lot of care. At the beginning, they’re very wary of you,” she said. “Over 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 exceptionally cognitive, but she says she was nevertheless amazed by the nuances and quirks in their characters. She formed a particular love for Eve and Cleopatra with contrasting personalities.

“Eve chose me. Cleo made me earn it,” she said. “They changed the way I understand bonding.”

Growing Opposition and Deteriorating Conditions

Her relationship with the whales progressed against a background of growing public opposition to their confinement.

During her time at the attraction, seven belugas and the park’s one orca, Kiska, passed away. In all, 19 belugas have died at the park since recent years, a number which the facility links to natural mortality, but which activists say indicates the poor conditions in which they were housed.

The park did not operate to the visitors over the summer, but Burgess says she witnessed firsthand effects of the shutdown. “Concrete is deteriorating from the pools because they’re in disrepair and not being maintained. The whales are inquisitive and so they grab fragments and navigate with pieces in their jaws. It’s upsetting to see.”

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

Fate in Limbo and Proposed Solutions

Burgess was fired from the facility in the spring following the passing of a beluga, an sick beluga the employees had to euthanize. She said the park believed details of the incident were disclosed to the press and she was fired shortly thereafter.

The uncertainty over the whales’ future has left her and other caretakers in distress. She says the park’s ultimatum to end the lives of its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “logistically impossible” endeavor, adding any attempts to humanely kill even a individual beluga would require “considerable personnel”, vehicles and specialized tools.

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

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

In recent months, Canada’s government official turned down a request to transfer the whales to China.

“To approve the proposal would have meant a continued life in confinement and a reversion to performance for audiences,” the official wrote. “As the public, we know that belugas belong in the sea, not in enclosures for our enjoyment. I could not in clear conscience approve an transfer that would continue the situation these belugas have endured.”

But Burgess said the official’s comments reveal a broader misunderstanding of the facts of existence for belugas raised in confinement.

“The public needs to realize these are whales that have existed solely in captivity and they will need human care for the foreseeable future,” she said. “Many just don’t comprehend that it’s not as easy as saying ‘close it down’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Ongoing Debate

As decision makers work to find a solution, proposals have been put forward, some of which have minimal feasibility. An idea called for the belugas to be let go into the open waters of northern regions – where whales are a key source of sustenance for local populations.

A planned sanctuary in the province of eastern Canada, which recently received government approval, has been contentious. The future facility, which includes 100 acres of protected cove, is not yet built. Advocates remain hopeful that it could ultimately represent a long term solution for eight of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among trainers she’s consulted, there is “skepticism there” about what she said is “only an untested concept” in the whales’ well-being.

Some experts say the prospect of a refuge indicates a worldwide trend away from captive facilities and could represent a workable plan in the coming months.

The project lead, director of the plan, said the facility will replicate the mental engagement and feeding regimen the whales obtain from caretakers, albeit in a significantly bigger space. He said after the well-being of whales is fully assessed, which could take months|an extended period|