‘It’s deeply saddening’: the way 30 confined beluga whales have become bargaining chips in row over animal cruelty.

Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie is an charming small “ham sandwich”. The whale Orion – called “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 heart of gold.

A group of thirty enclosed beluga whales in a Canada-based entertainment facility have become pawns in a disagreement between a shuttered park, public officials and animal rights activists.

But those closest to the whales say the heated debate over their destiny often overlooks the complexities of the whales who, after spending their lives in confinement, have been closely studied by the people who work with them regularly.

After the Canadian government blocked the export of the belugas to a foreign facility, the embattled amusement park near the famous falls where they are kept warned to euthanize them unless the government funds the expense of their care. Canada’s marine resources official has refused that demand, placing the thirty whales in an ever more uncertain situation.

Highly Cognitive Sea Creatures

Scientists say that belugas’ brain structure, along with their vocal imitation skills, problem solving and communal behavior suggest they are deeply intelligent animals – something a former trainer observed personally.

She spent three years as a whale caretaker, a position that involved building relationships of the sea creatures.

“Building up those relationships over time takes a lot of regularity and a lot of love. At the start, they’re very wary of you,” she said. “Over time, you gain shared confidence. And they start being more trusting with you. It’s just so extraordinary and fulfilling.”

The trainer knew the whales were highly intelligent, but she says she was nonetheless astounded by the nuances and quirks in their personalities. She formed a particular love for two female belugas with contrasting natures.

“One whale selected me. The other made me earn it,” she said. “Both changed the way I view relationships.”

Growing Opposition and Deteriorating Conditions

Her connection with the whales evolved against a background of rising activist criticism to their confinement.

During her time at the attraction, multiple belugas and the park’s single killer whale, Kiska, succumbed. In total, 19 belugas have perished at the park since 2019, a toll which the park attributes to expected lifespan, but which advocates say indicates the poor conditions in which they were housed.

The facility did not admit visitors to the public over the summer, but the former trainer says she witnessed firsthand consequences of the closure. “Concrete is deteriorating from the enclosures because they’re degrading and not being fixed. The whales are exploratory and so they take pieces and move about with fragments in their jaws. It’s heartbreaking to see.”

The park did not reply to a request for comment, but earlier claimed: “The whales … receive far better health care and around the clock care than any individual in the UK, or other places.”

Uncertain Future and Potential Resolutions

The former employee was terminated from the facility in recent months following the death of Eos, an ailing beluga the park staff had to put down. She said the park believed particulars of the death were leaked to the news outlets and she was fired not long after.

The lack of clarity over the whales’ future has left her and other caretakers in distress. She says the park’s ultimatum to euthanize its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “extremely difficult” undertaking, adding any attempts to euthanize even a one beluga would require “considerable staff”, vehicles and heavy equipment.

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

She supports calls for the whales to be transferred promptly from the park, with its failing enclosures and dwindling staff.

In late September, the nation’s government official rejected a proposal to transfer the whales to China.

“Granting the application would have meant a perpetual existence in captivity and a return to display for amusement,” the official commented. “As Canadians, we know that belugas are meant for the wild, not in tanks for our amusement. I could not in ethical standing approve an export that would continue the conditions these belugas have experienced.”

But the former trainer said the official’s remarks indicate a wider incorrect perception 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 constant supervision for the remainder of their lives,” she said. “The public just don’t comprehend that it’s not as easy as saying ‘end operations’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Ongoing Debate

As officials struggle to find a resolution, proposals have surfaced, some of which have minimal feasibility. One proposal called for the belugas to be let go into the natural habitat of the Arctic – where whales are a primary resource of nourishment for local populations.

A proposed protected area in the province of eastern Canada, which has received official endorsement, has been highly debated. The planned facility, which includes extensive space of enclosed sea water, remains undeveloped. Advocates remain optimistic that it could ultimately represent a long term answer for some of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among caretakers she’s consulted, there is “skepticism there” about what she said is “merely an trial” in the whales’ fate.

Some experts say the idea of a refuge reflects a worldwide trend away from animal displays and could represent a workable approach in the near future.

An official, director of the sanctuary project, said the location will replicate the cognitive activities and nutrition the whales obtain from specialists, albeit in a more expansive area. He said after the well-being of whales is fully assessed, which could take months|an extended period|