(PH) Animal rights group pushes bid vs Manila oceanarium

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Animal rights group pushes bid vs Manila oceanarium

By Jerome Aning

Inquirer

12/11/2007

 

MANILA, Philippines – Maintaining that marine parks present a distorted view of

wildlife, the animal rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals

(Peta) yesterday asked the Department of Tourism to reconsider its endorsement

of the Manila Ocean Park.

 

It also urged the public to boycott the facility to show their objection to

keeping sea animals in captivity.

 

In a letter to Tourism Secretary Joseph Ace Durano, Peta-Asia Pacific campaigns

manager Rochelle Regodon said the only thing marine parks teach people is that

" it is acceptable to keep animals in captivity—bored, restricted, lonely and far

from their natural homes. "

 

" The marine park industry claims that it exists purely for conservation and

educational purposes. However, we must ask this question, 'What can be gained

from watching marine animals swim in endless circles in concrete tanks full of

chlorinated water?' " she told Durano in her letter, a copy of which she provided

the Inquirer.

 

Peta has come out with a poster opposing the oceanarium. It features a group of

fish with the messages, " Save Our Schools, " " Don't support aquariums " and " Teach

compassion without confinement. "

 

" We are opposed to keeping animals in captivity because of the suffering it

causes them. Life in a tank is literally a death sentence, " another Peta

campaigner, Jennilyn Tagasa, told the Inquirer in a phone interview.

 

" The park can never replicate these animals' natural habitats. Marine animals

are meant to swim freely. At the park, they are confined to areas much smaller

than their natural environments and are deprived of everything that is natural

and important to them, " Regodon said.

 

The P1 billion Manila Ocean Park, behind the Quirino Granstand at Rizal Park, is

a project of the Philippine Tourism Authority with Singaporean and Malaysian

investors. It is scheduled to open at the end of the month.

 

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