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Animal rights activists have demanded the liberation of 15 penguins described as being “trapped in a basement devoid of sunlight or fresh air” during a protest at the London Aquarium. Sponsored by Freedom For Animals alongside Born Free and The Express newspaper, around 250 to 300 demonstrators denounced the confinement of the gentoo penguins at the facility in Westminster, which is owned by Merlin Entertainments and opened its original penguin exhibit in 2011 with 10 penguins from Edinburgh Zoo.
The penguins have reportedly spent 14 years in the basement with a pool that is only six to seven feet (1.8-2.1m) deep, according to the campaigners, who labeled the situation as “idiotic.” Former Undertones singer Feargal Sharkey challenged the new CEO of Merlin Entertainments, Fiona Eastwood, offering to donate £1,000 to a charity of her choosing if she spent a month in the basement with the penguins. He strongly criticized the captivity of the birds, emphasizing that there is no valid reason for their imprisonment.
Merlin Entertainments, which is jointly operated by the Blackstone Group, Canada Pension Plan Investment Board, and Kirkbi, defended the penguins’ enclosure, stating that it offers the necessary balance of water and land for the animals to showcase their natural behaviors. Nevertheless, naturalist and TV presenter Chris Packham CBE, who also participated in the demonstration, rejected these assurances and condemned the London Aquarium for tarnishing the city’s attraction reputation. He compared the situation to being asked to reside in a hazardous environment, highlighting the unsuitability of the penguins’ living conditions.
Freedom For Animals initiated the Free The Fifteen campaign in January 2024, arguing against keeping gentoo penguins in captivity since they are not considered an endangered species. With over 30,000 sea creatures spread across 11 locations in the UK, Sea Life aquariums have faced intensified scrutiny following the protests against the housing and treatment of the penguins
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