‘It’s deeply saddening’: how 30 captive white whales are being used as tools in dispute over animal cruelty.

Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie Botts is an adorable little “playful character”. Orion – called “Onion” – is a sizeable but fiercely protective friend. Another whale, Zephyr has “constant motion” and moves like a wiggly creature. Lillooet is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a kind nature.

A group of thirty enclosed beluga whales in a Canadian amusement park have become pawns in a disagreement between a shuttered park, public officials and animal rights activists.

But those working directly with the whales say the intense controversy over their fate often overlooks the nuances of the whales who, after growing up in enclosed habitats, have been thoroughly researched by the caretakers who interact with them daily.

After the Canadian government prevented the transfer of the belugas to China, the embattled facility near Niagara Falls where they are kept warned to end their lives unless the government funds the expense of their care. The nation’s fisheries minister has rejected that request, placing the 30 whales in an dangerously unstable circumstance.

Highly Cognitive Sea Creatures

Scientists say that beluga whales’ neuroanatomy, along with their sound replication, problem solving and communal behavior suggest they are deeply intelligent mammals – something a former trainer observed personally.

Burgess spent several years as a whale caretaker, a position that entailed gaining confidence of the sea creatures.

“Developing those connections over time takes a lot of dedication and a lot of love. At the start, they’re very cautious of you,” she said. “Over time, you gain mutual trust. And they start being more open with you. It’s just so magical and rewarding.”

Burgess knew the whales were very smart, but she says she was even so surprised by the nuances and idiosyncrasies in their personalities. She developed a deep bond for a pair of whales with contrasting personalities.

“Eve accepted me. The other demanded work,” she said. “They transformed the way I view connection.”

Growing Opposition and Facility Decline

Her relationship with the whales evolved against a context of rising activist criticism to their enclosure.

During her three years at the park, multiple belugas and the park’s one killer whale, Kiska, passed away. In all, nineteen belugas have perished at the park since 2019, a number which the facility ascribes to expected lifespan, but which campaigners say points to the substandard environment in which they were housed.

The park did not open to the guests over the summer, but the former trainer says she observed directly consequences of the cessation. “Concrete is breaking off from the enclosures because they’re in disrepair and not being repaired. The whales are exploratory and so they grab fragments and move about with fragments in their mouth. It’s upsetting to see.”

The park did not respond to a questionnaire, but in the past stated: “The whales … receive far better medical attention and constant care than any person in the United Kingdom, or anywhere else.”

Uncertain Future and Proposed Solutions

Burgess was terminated from the park in recent months following the passing of a beluga, an sick beluga the employees had to humanely kill. She said the facility believed information of the incident were leaked to the news outlets and she was let go soon after.

The uncertainty over the whales’ future has left Burgess and staff members in distress. She says the facility’s warning to euthanize its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “extremely difficult” task, adding any attempts to put down even a single beluga would require “significant staff”, vehicles and machinery.

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

Burgess supports requests for the whales to be taken immediately from the facility, with its failing enclosures and reduced personnel.

In late September, Canada’s fisheries minister rejected a bid to send the whales to China.

“Allowing the request would have meant a continued life in captivity and a reversion to display for amusement,” the official wrote. “As the public, we know that belugas should be in the sea, not in tanks for our enjoyment. I could not in ethical standing approve an export that would continue the conditions these belugas have endured.”

But the former trainer said the official’s statements reveal a broader incorrect perception of the realities of life for belugas raised in confinement.

“The public needs to understand these are whales that have spent their whole lives in enclosed habitats and they will need ongoing assistance for the rest of their years,” she said. “People just don’t realize that it’s not as easy as saying ‘shut it down’.”

Alternative Habitat and Continuing Discussion

As officials struggle to find a resolution, ideas have emerged, some of which have questionable practicality. One proposal called for the belugas to be released into the open waters of the Arctic – where whales are a important part of food for Inuit communities.

A suggested protected area in the province of Nova Scotia, which recently received regulatory clearance, has shown to be contentious. The future site, which includes extensive space of enclosed sea water, doesn’t yet exist. Advocates remain optimistic that it could in time represent a sustainable answer for eight of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among caretakers she’s discussed with, there is “no trust there” about what she said is “merely an untested concept” in the whales’ future.

Different voices say the idea of a refuge represents a worldwide trend away from animal displays and could represent a feasible plan in the near future.

The project lead, leader of the initiative, said the facility will mimic the intellectual stimulation and diet the whales receive from trainers, albeit in a much larger environment. He said after the health of whales is completely examined, which could take months|an extended period|