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An Investigation Into the UK's Largest Public Aquarium Chain

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An investigation into the UK’s largest public aquarium chain Full study report C. Palmer/CAPS 2014 An Investigation into the UK’s Largest Public Aquarium Chain, C.Palmer/Captive Animals’ Protection Society, 2014 1. INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................................. 2 1.1 Definition of a 'Zoo' ............................................................................................................................. 2 1.2 Sea Life Aquariums ............................................................................................................................. 6 2. METHODS ...................................................................................................................................................... 6 2.1 Data Collection .................................................................................................................................... 6 2.2 Data Analysis ....................................................................................................................................... 7 3. SEA LIFE AND DOLPHINARIUMS .................................................................................................................... 8 4. FROM OCEAN TO TANK ............................................................................................................................... 11 4.1 Origin of Animals at Sea Life ............................................................................................................. 12 4.2 Display of Wild-Caught Animals ........................................................................................................ 13 5. CONSERVATION AND SUSTAINABILITY ........................................................................................................ 25 5.1 'Finding Nemo' Exhibits ..................................................................................................................... 27 5.2 Conservation Initiatives at Sea Life ................................................................................................... 28 5.3 Types of Species at Sea Life .............................................................................................................. 29 5.4 Sea Life and Fishing ........................................................................................................................... 34 5.5 Ex-Situ Conservation ......................................................................................................................... 35 5.6 Rescue and Release of Animals......................................................................................................... 39 6. SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH .................................................................................................................................. 40 7. EDUCATION.................................................................................................................................................. 41 8. ANIMAL WELFARE ....................................................................................................................................... 44 8.1 Tank Type .......................................................................................................................................... 46 8.2 Life in a Sea Life Tank ........................................................................................................................ 47 9. CAPTIVITY STRESS ........................................................................................................................................ 63 9.1 CASE STUDY: Surface Breaking Behaviour at Ray Pools.................................................................... 65 9.2 CASE STUDY: Interaction with Transparent Boundaries at Chelonia Exhibits .................................. 67 10. HEALTH AND DISEASE ................................................................................................................................ 70 11. VISITOR BEHAVIOUR .................................................................................................................................. 72 11.1 Close Encounters ............................................................................................................................ 73 11.2 Touch Pools ..................................................................................................................................... 75 12. CONCLUSION ............................................................................................................................................. 77 BIBLIOGRAPHY ................................................................................................................................................. 78 1 An Investigation into the UK’s Largest Public Aquarium Chain, C.Palmer/Captive Animals’ Protection Society, 2014 The UK Government defines a zoo as: 'An establishment where wild animals are kept for exhibition (other than a circus or a pet shop) to which members of the public have access, with or without charge for admission, on more than seven days in any period of twelve consecutive months' (Zoo Licensing Act 1981). Aquariums can therefore be considered zoos for aquatic animals. Displays of captive animals have existed since ancient times. The predecessor of the zoo is the menagerie, which has a long history from the ancient world to modern times. Animal burials have revealed that one of the oldest menageries was located at Hierakonpolis, Egypt at circa. 3500 B.C. (Archaeology website). The oldest zoo in existence today is Vienna Zoo, and this facility was constructed in Vienna by Emperor Franz Josef in 1752 (The Times of India website). Zoos, aquaria and marine parks were, until recently, generally accepted forms of entertainment with little thought given to their purpose, or the welfare of the animals in these facilities (Marino et al., 2010). Ostensibly, zoos provide an opportunity for people to get close to animals. Yet there is more to zoos and aquariums than meets the eye. Exactly what are we learning about other animals in these facilities? And what is it like for them, living in confinement? There are thousands of zoos around the world, with hundreds of millions of visitors each year. There is, undoubtedly, a strong motivation amongst people to view animals in close proximity. Most of the ethical concerns that result from the incarceration of wild animals are countered by the zoo industry; an industry that perpetrates the myth that people need to get up close to animals to learn about them and form a desire to protect them in the wild. The experience of interacting with other animals should enhance our understanding of our interconnected, mutually shared environment, yet the very nature of zoos curb any such insights. In fact, the lesson that zoos teach us about wild animals and their environment is a dangerous one: that non-human animals can justifiably be confined by us, primarily for our entertainment. Zoo legislation, accreditation schemes and bodies, such as the World Association for Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA) and British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA), do not question the existence of zoos. WAZA and BIAZA are, in fact, composed of zoological institutions, and thus act as something akin to trade representatives for the industry. Legislation, accreditation schemes and bodies, rather, seek to regulate the facilities to ensure they maintain so-called standards, and keep up with the times, with regards to public opinion. The zoo industry also undoubtedly has much input and influence over the legislation. It is therefore animal protection organisations, rather than the governments and regulating bodies, which have revealed zoos and aquaria to be inherently detrimental to animal welfare. Sadly, very little meaningful legal protection exists for animals housed in zoos and aquariums - penalties for violations of legislation are minor, and the agencies that perform zoo inspections are extremely understaffed relative to the number of facilities requiring examination. A study published in 2012 by Captive Animals Protection Society (CAPS) revealed over 1,000 instances of breach of legal obligations by zoos in England, and an almost complete absence of enforcement action between 2006 and 2011. Nearly 90% of zoos were found to be non- 2 An Investigation into the UK’s Largest Public Aquarium Chain, C.Palmer/Captive Animals’ Protection Society, 2014 compliant with one or more aspect of the Council Directive 1999/22/EC (‘the EC Zoos Directive’) during the 2006 and 2011 period (CAPS, 2012). A 2014 study by Born Free Foundation (BFF) further concluded that the inspections required by UK law are failing to ensure the welfare of animals in zoos (BFF website; The Times website). In modern times, awareness of the natural world, animal welfare, and environmental issues has come to the forefront. With this has created the need for captive animal facilities to reinvent themselves as centres working to educate on and conserve animal species. They have needed to portray themselves as 'Noah’s Arks' for animals at threat in nature. It is a thinly-veiled façade however, and zoos continue to exist predominantly as commercial operations profiting from the display of animals for public entertainment. A confined animal is denied freedom and the ability to make life decisions that are so necessary for its well- being.
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