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Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie is an charming small “sweetheart”. Orion – nicknamed “Onion Ring” – is a big but fiercely protective companion. Zephyr has “ants in his pants” and moves 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 entangled in a disagreement between a shuttered park, government authorities and advocacy groups.

But those closest to the whales say the intense debate over their fate often fails to consider the complexities of the whales who, after living their entire lives in captivity, have been thoroughly researched by the humans who work with them regularly.

After the federal government prevented the sale of the belugas to a foreign facility, the embattled amusement park near Niagara Falls where they are kept threatened to euthanize them unless the government covers the cost of their survival. Canada’s marine resources official has refused that ultimatum, placing the thirty whales in an ever more uncertain situation.

Intelligent Marine Mammals

Researchers say that beluga whales’ neuroanatomy, along with their mimicry abilities, cognitive challenges and communal behavior suggest they are deeply intelligent mammals – something Kristy Burgess learned directly.

Burgess spent several years as a whale caretaker, a role that required gaining confidence of the aquatic animals.

“Establishing those relationships over time takes a lot of regularity and a lot of affection. At the start, they’re very cautious of you,” she said. “Over time, you gain shared confidence. And they start being more open with you. It’s just so magical and fulfilling.”

The trainer knew the whales were highly intelligent, but she says she was nonetheless amazed by the subtleties and unique traits in their personalities. She cultivated a particular love for Eve and Cleopatra with opposing personalities.

“One whale chose me. Cleo required effort,” she said. “Each transformed the way I perceive relationships.”

Growing Opposition and Facility Decline

Burgess’s connection with the whales developed against a backdrop of growing public opposition to their enclosure.

During her tenure at the park, multiple belugas and the park’s single killer whale, the orca, succumbed. In all, 19 belugas have perished at the park since 2019, a number which the facility ascribes to age-related causes, but which advocates say indicates the poor conditions in which they were housed.

The facility did not admit visitors to the guests over the summer, but the former trainer says she saw with her own eyes consequences of the cessation. “Structural materials is deteriorating from the tanks because they’re falling apart and not being repaired. The whales are curious and so they pick it up and navigate with chunks in their mouth. It’s upsetting to see.”

The park did not comment to a inquiry, but in the past claimed: “The whales … get far better health care and around the clock care than any individual in the UK, or anywhere else.”

Uncertain Future and Potential Resolutions

The former employee was terminated from the park in recent months following the demise of a beluga, an unwell beluga the employees had to humanely kill. She said the facility suspected information of the death were disclosed to the news outlets and she was released soon after.

The ambiguity over the whales’ outcome has left her and other caretakers in despair. She says the park’s warning to kill its whales is a bargaining chip and is a “extremely difficult” task, adding any efforts to euthanize even a single beluga would require “significant personnel”, equipment and specialized tools.

“It’s impossible in hell the caretakers would ever do it,” she said.

She backs calls for the whales to be taken promptly from the facility, with its failing enclosures and dwindling staff.

In the autumn, the nation’s government official rejected a proposal to export the whales to an overseas location.

“To approve the application would have meant a continued life in captivity and a reversion to display for amusement,” the official wrote. “As Canadians, we know that belugas belong in the ocean, not in tanks for our enjoyment. I could not in ethical standing authorize an export that would prolong the conditions these belugas have experienced.”

But the former trainer said the minister’s statements reveal a broader misunderstanding of the realities of existence for belugas born in captivity.

“The people needs to grasp these are whales that have existed solely in captivity and they will need human care for the rest of their years,” she said. “Many just don’t realize that it’s not as simple as saying ‘close it down’.”

Alternative Habitat and Ongoing Debate

As officials attempt to find a answer, proposals have surfaced, some of which have little basis in reality. An idea called for the belugas to be freed into the open waters of northern regions – where whales are a primary resource of food for local populations.

A suggested refuge in the province of Nova Scotia, which has received official endorsement, has shown to be contentious. The prospective facility, which includes extensive space of penned in ocean, is not yet built. Proponents remain positive 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 untested concept” in the whales’ future.

Others say the possibility of a refuge reflects a changing attitudes away from captive facilities and could represent a feasible plan in the short term.

Charles Vinick, leader of the plan, said the location will simulate the cognitive activities and nutrition the whales receive from specialists, albeit in a significantly bigger environment. He said after the medical condition of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|