It is deeply saddening’: the way thirty confined beluga whales are being used as tools in row over inhumane treatment.

Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie is an cute small “sweetheart”. Orion – called “Onion Ring” – is a big but guardian-like companion. Another whale, Zephyr has “endless energy” and wiggles like a worm. Lillooet the beluga is the “loving presence” with a heart of gold.

A group of thirty captive beluga whales in a Canada-based amusement park have been entangled in a disagreement between a shuttered park, local and national governments and welfare campaigners.

But those most familiar with the whales say the intense debate over their future often fails to consider the individual traits of the whales who, after growing up in enclosed habitats, have been closely studied by the humans who see them each day.

After the national authorities disallowed the sale of the belugas to China, the controversial attraction near the famous falls where they are kept threatened to put them down unless the authorities covers the expense of their care. Canada’s fisheries minister has rejected that demand, placing the thirty whales in an dangerously unstable situation.

Highly Cognitive Sea Creatures

Researchers say that belugas’ neural makeup, along with their mimicry abilities, problem solving and group interactions indicate they are remarkably smart mammals – something one caretaker discovered personally.

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

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

Burgess knew the whales were very smart, but she says she was nevertheless astounded by the nuances and idiosyncrasies in their characters. She cultivated a special affection for two female belugas with contrasting natures.

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

Growing Opposition and Facility Decline

Burgess’s relationship with the whales evolved against a backdrop of rising activist criticism to their confinement.

During her tenure at the attraction, multiple belugas and the park’s one killer whale, Kiska, passed away. In total, nineteen belugas have perished at the park since recent years, a statistic which the park ascribes to natural mortality, but which campaigners say reflects the inadequate care in which they were maintained.

The facility did not open to the visitors over the recent season, but the former trainer says she observed directly effects of the shutdown. “Structural materials is breaking off from the tanks because they’re degrading and not being maintained. The whales are exploratory and so they take pieces and move about with fragments in their jaws. It’s upsetting to see.”

The park did not respond to a request for comment, but in the past claimed: “The whales … obtain far superior veterinary services and 24/7 care than any human in the United Kingdom, or elsewhere.”

Fate in Limbo and Proposed Solutions

The former employee was fired from the park in early March following the passing of a beluga, an ailing beluga the caretakers had to humanely kill. She said the park believed information of the incident were disclosed to the press and she was let go soon after.

The lack of clarity over the whales’ fate has left Burgess and staff members in despair. She says the facility’s ultimatum to end the lives of its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “practically unfeasible” task, adding any plans to euthanize even a single beluga would require “considerable manpower”, trucks and specialized tools.

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

She backs requests for the whales to be removed right away from the facility, with its crumbling tanks and dwindling staff.

In the autumn, Canada’s fisheries minister denied a bid to transfer the whales to an overseas location.

“Allowing the application would have meant a continued existence in captivity and a reversion to public entertainment,” the official commented. “As Canadians, we know that belugas belong in the ocean, not in pools for our enjoyment. I could not in clear conscience approve an relocation that would prolong the situation these belugas have endured.”

But Burgess said the official’s comments reveal a broader lack of awareness of the circumstances of existence for belugas born in captivity.

“The people needs to understand these are whales that have spent their whole lives in captivity and they will need human care for the remainder of their lives,” she said. “Many just don’t realize that it’s not as easy as saying ‘end operations’.”

Alternative Habitat and Continuing Discussion

As authorities work to find a resolution, proposals have surfaced, some of which have minimal feasibility. A suggested plan called for the belugas to be released into the open waters of the Arctic – where whales are a key source of nourishment for local populations.

A planned protected area in the region of Nova Scotia, which has received government approval, has shown to be highly debated. The planned site, which includes a large area of protected cove, doesn’t yet exist. Advocates remain hopeful that it could in time represent a long term solution for a number of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among trainers she’s spoken with, there is “skepticism there” about what she said is “merely an experiment” in the whales’ future.

Some experts say the possibility of a sanctuary represents a worldwide trend away from animal displays and could represent a workable approach in the near future.

Charles Vinick, director of the initiative, said the location will replicate the intellectual stimulation and nutrition the whales receive from caretakers, albeit in a much larger space. He said after the health of whales is fully assessed, which could take months|an extended period|