(Singapore) Plea to set them free: whale sharks

[Guest guest]

Plea to set them free

Today Online 29 Aug 08

 

AS THE world prepares to mark International Whale Shark Day tomorrow, three

groups here have once again expressed their opposition to having these creatures

as “exhibits”.

 

The upcoming Resorts World at Sentosa (RWS) had announced in late 2006 that it

would have whale sharks as one of the attractions for its Marine Life Park.

 

“We hope that Resorts World will reconsider their decision to keep whale sharks

in captivity,” said Mr Louis Ng, executive director of the Animal Concerns

Research and Education Society (Acres), one of the three groups which issued a

joint press statement to mark the event. The other two were the Singapore

Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) and Nature Society

(Singapore).

 

“They have already taken the progressive step of leaving sharks’ fin off their

menu ... To truly contribute to marine conservations, let us focus on keeping

the whale sharks safe in the wild,” Mr Ng said.

 

The SPCA noted that two whale sharks died within five months of each other at

the Georgia Aquarium Atlanta last year. The deaths, they said, prove that “whale

sharks are not meant for confinement to glass walls”.

 

When contacted by Today, a RWS spokeswoman pointed out that the autopsies on the

two whale sharks “linked their deaths to the use of a chemical pesticide used to

treat tank parasites”.

 

“The animals did not die because they were in captivity,” said Ms Krist Boo, the

company’s vice-president of communications. She gave the assurance that the

acquisition of animals “will be done in full compliance with international

standards”.

 

“The whale sharks in the Marine Life Park will be loved and they will receive

top-class care: The finest veterinary care, technology and food,” saidMs Boo,

who added that the launch this year of RWS’ Marine Life Fund underlined its

commitment to conservation.

 

The fate of whale sharks are not the only concern of some groups here. Last

month, international dolphin charity Marine Connection raised concerns that

dolphins might be imported into Singapore after 12 Indo-Pacific bottlenose

dolphins were captured near Solomon Islands and housed in sea pens for export to

marine parks.

 

While RWS told Today it had no plans to import dolphins, Underwater World did

not reply to Today’s email queries.

 

In 2004, Acres uncovered evidence that some of Underwater World’s pink dolphins

were caught in the wild but the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority ruled it was

legal for the park to keep them.

 

 

Whale sharks at Sentosa IR? Bad move, say activists

Resorts World promises 'top-class' care as animal welfare groups raise issue

Ang Yiying, Straits Times 29 Aug 08

 

NATURE and animal welfare groups in Singapore have banded together again to

oppose the move by the integrated resort on Sentosa to bring in whale sharks for

its oceanarium.

 

The Singapore Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA), the Nature

Society of Singapore and the Animal Concerns Research and Education Society

(Acres) had objected publicly to the plan when Resorts World at Sentosa unveiled

it in 2006.

 

With International Whale Shark Day being observed tomorrow, the groups said it

was timely to again raise awareness of the issue.

 

SPCA executive officer Deirdre Moss said the society was concerned about the

welfare of the whale shark as some have died in captivity overseas.

 

She said: 'When we're talking about the biggest fish in the ocean, one has to

ask the question, 'Who is benefiting? Is it the animal or is it the human?' The

animal's welfare will definitely be compromised.'

 

Whale sharks can grow to 12m long and possibly up to 20m.

 

Acres executive director Louis Ng said: 'They shouldn't gamble on the lives of

whale sharks.'

 

The spokesman for Resorts World at Sentosa, Ms Krist Boo, said the whale sharks

in the Marine Life Park 'will be loved and will receive top-class care'.

 

She added that the park's mission was to 'inspire guests of all ages to

appreciate the world's aquatic biodiversity and promote conservation action'.

 

However, Nature Society of Singapore president Shawn Lum said there was no wide

consensus that keeping these whale sharks in captivity was good conservation

strategy.

 

There has been no sign of official disapproval of Resorts World's move.

 

The Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA), noting that these gentle giants

are listed under Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade of

Endangered Flora and Fauna, said this meant their import and export had to be

controlled.

 

AVA spokesman Goh Shih Yong said Singapore would abide by the convention and

require Resorts World to provide good care.

 

Resorts World launched a marine life fund this year and said shark's fin would

not be available on its menu, except to high-rollers.

 

 

'No whale sharks'

Ang Yiying, Straits Times 28 Aug 08;

 

NATURE and animal welfare groups in Singapore have banded together again to

oppose the move by the integrated resort on Sentosa to bring in whale sharks for

its oceanarium.

 

The Singapore Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA), the Nature

Society of Singapore and the Animal Concerns Research and Education Society

(Acres) objected publicly to the plan when Resorts World at Sentosa unveiled it

in 2006.

 

With International Whale Shark Day being observed on Saturday, the groups said

it was timely to create awareness of the issue again.

 

SPCA executive officer Deirdre Moss said the society was concerned about the

welfare of the whale shark as some have died in captivity overseas.

 

She said: 'When we're talking about the biggest fish in the ocean, one has to

ask the question, 'Who is benefiting? Is it the animal or is it the human?' The

animal's welfare will definitely be compromised.'

 

Whale sharks can grow to 12m long and possibly up to 20m.

 

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