Protesters calling for the discharge of penguins “trapped in a basement” demonstrated outdoors a London attraction on Sunday, with musician turned eco-campaigner Feargal Sharkey throwing down the gauntlet to the corporate boss.
Between 250-300 animal welfare campaigners stated the 15 penguins are saved “in a windowless basement enclosure” on the Sea Life London Aquarium, with no daylight or out of doors entry.
The aquarium, owned by Merlin Entertainments, opened its first penguin exhibit in Could 2011.
The ten gentoo penguins launched from Edinburgh Zoo have “now endured 14 years in a basement”, with a pool of solely about seven ft deep (2.1m) by which to swim, in response to the campaigners that organised the protest.
Born Free says at the very least two of the birds have by no means seen the sky.
A spokesperson for the Sea Life London Aquarium stated on Sunday the penguins’ habitat was “designed with assist and recommendation from specialist vets”.
The assertion added: “It offers a superb stability of water and land for the penguins, which permits them to precise their regular behaviours, and there’s house for them to make sure they’ve enough privateness.”
Pic: Born Free/PA
Feargal Sharkey, former singer of The Undertones, now recognized for his campaigning against the water industry, dared Merlin Entertainments’ new chief government Fiona Eastwood to “swap locations with the penguins”.
“Actually, if she’s ready to really spend a month down there with these penguins, I’ll donate £1,000 of my cash to a charity of her selecting,” Mr Sharkey stated.
“As we now know, a few of them have been there for 14 years, within the basement of a former council constructing.
“It is a surprising indictment.”
He added: “There isn’t any cause that they need to be benefiting in any respect from imprisoning 15 birds within the basement of an previous council constructing.
“It is idiotic. It is a nonsense, and it is obtained to cease.”
Dale Vince, Chris Packham, Megan McCubbin and Feargal Sharkey (from L to R) attended the protest: Pic: PA
Pic: Born Free/PA
Merlin Entertainments is co-run by Blackstone Group, Canada Pension Plan Funding Board (CPPIB), and Kirkbi, the funding arm of the Lego household.
The British theme park firm owns a spread of theme parks and different points of interest throughout the UK, together with Alton Towers, Legoland Windsor, Madame Tussauds, Thorpe Park, and Chessington World of Adventures.
Gentoo penguins are supreme swimmers, the quickest swimming chook on the earth, in response to the charity Penguins Worldwide.
Within the wild, they will attain speeds of 22mph (35 kph).
Naturalist and TV presenter Chris Packham stated he was there to protest the “injustice that is been wrought upon 15 stunning little gentoo penguins presently housed within the dingy basement of the constructing behind me.”
He instructed Sky Information: “This constructing was at all times unsuitable for these bids, and so they’ve obtained to be shifted out.”
Megan McCubbin, fellow TV presenter and Chris Packham’s stepdaughter, stated gentoo penguins had been “one of the superb species that we’ve on our planet”.
She added: “And whenever you stroll via [the basement] – and I’ve solely been as soon as and I’ll by no means go once more – you’ll be able to’t assist however really feel heartbroken about them.”
Sea Life London Aquarium additionally stated in its assertion it was “dedicated to supporting conservation causes globally” via its Breed, Rescue, Defend programme, which helps endangered species.
