Channel NewsAsia 12 Mar 09;
also on the Straits Times Breaking News 12 Mar 09; and Today Online 13 Mar 09; and Sydney Morning Herald 13 Mar 09;
SINGAPORE: Seven local and international animal welfare groups have launched an online campaign opposing plans by a Singapore integrated resort developer to import whale sharks for its planned oceanarium.
The groups on Wednesday launched a website, www.whalesharkpetition.com, on calling on the public to "voice their opinions" on the plans to import the whale sharks, described as the largest living fish species.
Resorts World at Sentosa is building one of Singapore's two integrated resorts which will feature a Marine Life Park set to become the world's biggest oceanarium upon completion.
The oceanarium will have 700,000 fish in 20 million gallons of water, Resorts World at Sentosa said on its website.
But the seven organisations, including the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society and People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, oppose having whale sharks in the facility.
The animals, which can grow up to 20 metres (66 feet), are listed as "vulnerable" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, the groups said.
"No man-made environment, no matter how large, could accommodate the needs of a whale shark," they said in a statement.
"Whale sharks can dive up to 980 metres (3,234 feet) and migrate over 13,000 kilometres (8,060 miles) and evidence has shown that they fare poorly in captivity."
They cited the case of two whale sharks which died within five months of each other in a "state-of-the-art" aquarium in the United States.
Resorts World at Sentosa defended plans to include whale sharks in the oceanarium, saying the threat the animals faced "makes the role of aquariums in their conservation all the more crucial".
The Marine Life Park's goal is to "help protect the species' wild population from disappearing" and it has worked closely with marine experts to give the animals "top-class care", it said.
Resorts World at Sentosa has said its casino project is on track for a phased opening from early 2010. It will feature hotels and a host of family-friendly attractions including the first Universal Studios theme park in Southeast Asia.- AFP/so
More background and links on Petition against captive whale sharks at Resorts World Sentosa on the wild shores of singapore blog.
Groups Against Whale Shark Import
Zakaria Abdul Wahab, Bernama 11 Mar 09;
SINGAPORE, March 11 (Bernama) -- Several local and international animal rights and conservation groups have launched an online campaign to prevent an upcoming Singapore resort centre from importing whale sharks for its marine life park.
The groups yesterday launched website www.whalesharkpetition.com for the public to voice their concerns over the resort's plan to import the threatened species of shark for its marine life park on Sentosa Island.
Resorts World at Sentosa (RWS), a casino-cum-theme park that is still under construction, will boast the world's biggest oceanarium with 700,000 fishes, including dolphins and whale sharks when it is completed next year.
RWS says on its website that the acquisition of animals for its marine park will be done in full compliance with international standards, such as the one set by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).
The international groups that are against RWS's move are Sea Shepherd Conservation Society (SSCS) and People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) and the local ones, The Green Volunteers, lovesharks.sg, Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (ACRES), Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) and Cicada Tree Eco-Place.
In a statement here, the groups said although the local authorities would ensure that wild animals kept in captivity followed strict international standards of animal husbandry, there was "no man-made environment, no matter how large, to accommodate the needs of a whale shark."
They said whale sharks could dive up to 980 metres and migrate over 13,000km, and evidence had shown that they fared poorly in captivity, citing two cases of whale sharks, which died within five months of each other at the state-of-the-art Georgia aquarium in the United States.
The organisations said, as whale sharks were a species vulnerable to extinction, efforts must be made to protect the remaining wild population and that there was no merit to remove them from the wild breeding population, especially with such poor captive survival rates.
The groups urged the Singapore Government to take the lead in Southeast Asian ecotourism by "creating a uniquely Singaporean Marine Life Park that would promote native flora and fauna, instead of putting vulnerable species in harm's way."-- BERNAMA
Animal welfare groups oppose casino whale sharks
AFP 12 Mar 09;
SINGAPORE (AFP) — Seven local and international animal welfare groups have launched an online campaign opposing plans by a Singapore casino developer to import whale sharks for its planned aquarium.
The campaign's website on Wednesday called on the public to "voice their opinions" on plans to buy in the whale sharks, described as the largest living fish species.
Resorts World at Sentosa is building a casino that will feature a Marine Life Park set to become the world's biggest sea water aquarium.
The oceanarium will have 700,000 fish in 20 million gallons (76 million litres) of water, Resorts World at Sentosa said on its website.
But the seven organisations, including the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society and People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, oppose having whale sharks in the facility.
The sharks, which are commonly found to be more than 10 metres (33 feet) long, but are thought to grow much longer, are listed as "vulnerable" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, the groups said.
"No man-made environment, no matter how large, could accommodate the needs of a whale shark," they said in a statement.
"Whale sharks can dive up to 980 metres (3,234 feet) and migrate over 13,000 kilometres (8,060 miles) and evidence has shown that they fare poorly in captivity."
They cited the case of two whale sharks that died within five months of each other in a "state-of-the-art" aquarium in the United States.
Campaign coordinator Jaki Teo told AFP they have received more than 100 emails overnight.
"We hope government organisations will support us on this because this concerns Singapore's international image. It's not just a tourist attraction, people will come and say 'what's a whale shark doing in Singapore?'" she said.
Resorts World at Sentosa defended plans to include whale sharks in the oceanarium, saying the threat the animals faced "makes the role of aquariums in their conservation all the more crucial".
The Marine Life Park's goal is to "help protect the species' wild population from disappearing" and it has worked closely with marine experts to give the animals "top-class care," it said.
Resorts World at Sentosa has said its casino project is on track for a phased opening from early 2010.
It will also feature hotels and a Universal Studios theme park.
More about the issues with lots of links on the wild shores of singapore blog.
