It is deeply saddening’: the way 30 confined beluga whales are being used as tools in dispute over animal cruelty.

Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie is an cute small “playful character”. The whale Orion – nicknamed “Onion Ring” – is a sizeable but very loyal friend. Another whale, Zephyr has “ants in his pants” and moves like a worm. Lillooet the beluga is the “loving presence” with a heart of gold.

Thirty captive marine mammals in a Canadian entertainment facility have been entangled in a struggle between a shuttered park, public officials and animal rights activists.

But those working directly with the whales say the heated debate over their destiny often ignores the nuances of the whales who, after living their entire lives in confinement, have been carefully observed by the caretakers who interact with them daily.

After the federal government disallowed the transfer of the belugas to China, the struggling attraction near Niagara Falls where they are held threatened to end their lives unless the government covers the expense of keeping them alive. Canada’s fisheries minister has denied that demand, placing the thirty whales in an increasingly precarious position.

Highly Cognitive Sea Creatures

Researchers say that belugas’ neuroanatomy, along with their mimicry abilities, cognitive challenges and communal behavior indicate they are highly cognitive mammals – something a former trainer observed directly.

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

“Establishing 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. “In time, you gain mutual trust. And they start being more vulnerable with you. It’s just so magical and fulfilling.”

Burgess knew the whales were very smart, but she says she was nevertheless surprised by the details and unique traits in their personalities. She developed a special affection for two female belugas with contrasting personalities.

“Eve accepted me. Cleo demanded work,” she said. “They transformed the way I view bonding.”

Growing Opposition and Deteriorating Conditions

Burgess’s relationship with the whales developed against a backdrop of increasing societal concern to their captivity.

During her tenure at the park, seven belugas and the park’s single killer whale, Kiska, succumbed. In all, 19 belugas have perished at the park since recent years, a toll which the facility links to expected lifespan, but which advocates say points to the inadequate care in which they were housed.

The facility did not admit visitors to the public over the recent season, but the former trainer says she observed directly results of the cessation. “Concrete is falling apart from the tanks because they’re falling apart and not being repaired. The whales are inquisitive and so they grab fragments and move about with chunks in their jaws. It’s heartbreaking to see.”

The facility did not respond to a questionnaire, but in the past claimed: “The whales … obtain far better veterinary services and 24/7 attention than any human in the UK, or anywhere else.”

Fate in Limbo and Proposed Solutions

Burgess was dismissed from the facility in early March following the death of Eos, an sick beluga the caretakers had to humanely kill. She said the facility believed information of the death were shared to the press and she was let go soon after.

The ambiguity over the whales’ outcome has left Burgess and staff members in despair. She says the park’s threat to euthanize its whales is a leverage tool and is a “extremely difficult” task, adding any efforts to put down even a individual beluga would require “considerable manpower”, equipment and specialized tools.

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

Burgess advocates for requests for the whales to be removed right away from the park, with its deteriorating pools and shrinking team.

In recent months, Canada’s fisheries minister turned down a request to send the whales to China.

“Allowing the application would have meant a perpetual existence in enclosure and a reversion to performance for audiences,” the minister wrote. “As society, we know that marine mammals belong in the ocean, not in pools for our entertainment. I could not in clear conscience authorize an transfer that would prolong the treatment these belugas have suffered.”

But Burgess said the official’s remarks reveal a broader lack of awareness of the circumstances of existence for belugas raised in confinement.

“The public needs to grasp these are whales that have spent their whole lives in enclosed habitats and they will need human care for the foreseeable future,” she said. “The public just don’t comprehend that it’s not as simple as saying ‘shut it down’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Ongoing Debate

As authorities struggle to find a solution, proposals have emerged, some of which have little basis in reality. One proposal called for the belugas to be freed into the open waters of northern regions – where whales are a primary resource of food for Inuit communities.

A proposed refuge in the region of Nova Scotia, which now received official endorsement, has shown to be highly debated. The prospective facility, which includes extensive space of protected cove, remains undeveloped. Advocates remain positive that it could in time represent a permanent resolution for eight of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among trainers she’s spoken with, there is “skepticism there” about what she said is “simply an untested concept” in the whales’ well-being.

Others say the prospect of a refuge reflects a worldwide trend away from zoos and aquariums and could represent a viable approach in the short term.

Charles Vinick, leader of the sanctuary project, said the facility will simulate the cognitive activities and feeding regimen the whales receive from caretakers, albeit in a significantly bigger area. He said after the medical condition of whales is completely examined, which could take months|an extended period|