New Aquarium Planned for London

A huge new aquarium that will hold thousands of animals, including sharks and turtles, is being planned for Silvertown Quays in East London as a tourist attraction.  According to the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) Director General Dr Michael Dixon: "There can be no doubt that aquariums are now well established as huge public attractions. As well as managing this exciting visitor facility, ZSL will be developing a unique conservation and ecological mission for the aquarium".

The claim that this aquarium will aid conservation is disputed by the Captive Animals Society (CAPS) on many grounds:

• Wild animals suffer greatly in captivity, both physically and psychologically

• A captive environment can never provide all that a wild animal needs

• Most animals in aquariums are taken from the wild, and there is a constant 'need' to replace them because many do not survive long

• Many wild-caught animals die during capture and transport

• Little can be learned about the lives of animals or their relationships with other species while they are confined to an unnatural environment

The global aquarium trade is responsible for the deaths of thousands of animals each year and for damage to the marine environment.