Campaign to free London aquarium penguins ‘trapped in basement’ backed by MPs
Campaigners call penguin captivity at Sea Life London aquarium ‘un-British’
- A cross-party group of 75 MPs and animal welfare campaigners are calling for the release of 15 gentoo penguins from Sea Life London Aquarium.
- Campaigners describe the penguins' captivity as “un-British”, alleging they are trapped in a basement without sunlight or fresh air for 14 years.
- An open letter has been sent to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, urging a review of the penguins' welfare and their relocation to a more suitable facility.
- Prominent figures like Feargal Sharkey and Chris Packham have backed the campaign, with a petition by Freedom For Animals gathering over 37,000 signatures.
- Sea Life London Aquarium maintains that the penguins' habitat was designed with specialist veterinary advice, providing an excellent balance of water and land for their normal behaviours.