It is devastating’: the way 30 captive white whales are now bargaining chips in dispute over animal welfare.

Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie is an adorable small “ham sandwich”. Orion – nicknamed “Onion” – is a sizeable but fiercely protective companion. Zephyr has “ants in his pants” and moves like a wiggly creature. Lillooet is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a kind nature.

Thirty captive marine mammals in a Canadian entertainment facility have become pawns in a disagreement between a defunct facility, public officials and advocacy groups.

But those most familiar with the whales say the impassioned controversy over their fate often ignores the nuances of the whales who, after spending their lives in confinement, have been carefully observed by the humans who see them each day.

After the Canadian government disallowed the sale of the belugas to China, the struggling attraction near the famous falls where they are housed stated it would consider to put them down unless the authorities covers the expense of their survival. Canada’s marine resources official has rejected that request, placing the 30 whales in an increasingly precarious situation.

Intelligent Marine Mammals

Researchers say that belugas’ neuroanatomy, along with their vocal imitation skills, problem solving and communal behavior suggest they are deeply intelligent animals – something one caretaker observed directly.

Burgess spent several years as a whale caretaker, a job that involved building relationships of the aquatic animals.

“Establishing those bonds over time takes a lot of consistency 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 extraordinary and rewarding.”

Burgess knew the whales were highly intelligent, but she says she was nevertheless surprised by the nuances and unique traits in their dispositions. She formed a particular love for two female belugas with different personalities.

“One whale accepted me. Cleo demanded work,” she said. “Each transformed the way I perceive bonding.”

Growing Opposition and Facility Decline

Her interaction with the whales developed against a background of growing public opposition to their enclosure.

During her tenure at the attraction, multiple belugas and the park’s single killer whale, the orca, passed away. In all, 19 belugas have died at the park since 2019, a toll which the park ascribes to age-related causes, but which advocates say reflects the poor conditions in which they were kept.

The facility did not admit visitors to the guests over the summer, but the former trainer says she saw with her own eyes effects of the cessation. “Structural materials is breaking off from the enclosures because they’re falling apart and not being fixed. The whales are curious and so they grab fragments and swim around with chunks in their mouth. It’s heartbreaking to see.”

The park did not reply to a questionnaire, but in the past stated: “The whales … obtain far higher quality health care and around the clock care than any human in the UK, or anywhere else.”

Fate in Limbo and Proposed Solutions

Burgess was terminated from the facility in early March following the passing of Eos, an sick beluga the caretakers had to euthanize. She said the facility believed information of the incident were shared to the press and she was fired soon after.

The ambiguity over the whales’ future has left Burgess and other caretakers in anguish. She says the facility’s ultimatum to euthanize its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “extremely difficult” endeavor, adding any plans to put down even a individual beluga would require “immense personnel”, trucks and specialized tools.

“It cannot happen in hell the caretakers would ever do it,” she said.

Burgess backs demands for the whales to be taken immediately from the facility, with its failing enclosures and dwindling staff.

In late September, Canada’s government official rejected a proposal to send the whales to an overseas location.

“Allowing the proposal would have meant a continued existence in captivity and a reversion to performance for audiences,” the official wrote. “As the public, we know that marine mammals are meant for the wild, not in tanks for our entertainment. I could not in ethical standing authorize an relocation that would prolong the conditions these belugas have suffered.”

But Burgess said the minister’s comments reveal a broader lack of awareness of the facts of life for belugas raised in confinement.

“The people needs to grasp these are whales that have existed solely in enclosed habitats and they will need constant supervision for the remainder of their lives,” she said. “People just don’t realize that it’s not as simple as saying ‘close it down’.”

Alternative Habitat and Ongoing Debate

As decision makers work to find a answer, ideas have emerged, some of which have minimal feasibility. One proposal called for the belugas to be let go into the wilds of northern regions – where whales are a key source of food for local populations.

A planned sanctuary in the region of eastern Canada, which recently received official endorsement, has shown to be contentious. The future facility, which includes a large area of enclosed sea water, doesn’t yet exist. Supporters remain hopeful that it could ultimately represent a long term resolution for some of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among trainers she’s consulted, there is “skepticism there” about what she said is “only an experiment” in the whales’ fate.

Some experts say the idea of a protected habitat represents a changing attitudes away from captive facilities and could represent a workable approach in the near future.

The project lead, leader of the plan, said the facility will simulate the mental engagement and nutrition the whales get from trainers, albeit in a significantly bigger environment. He said after the medical condition of whales is fully assessed, which could take months|an extended period|