Rockhopper Penguins

[Guest guest]

Around 150 Rockhopper penguins were recently captured from the wild on

the

islands of Tristan de Cunha in the South Atlantic. These islands are UK

territory and permission was granted for the capture by the Tristan

administration and UK government. The South African government gave

permission to a S African wildlife dealer to take them into S Africa

where

they are currently held at his aquarium.

 

Unfortunately as this plan was kept secret information did not leak out

until it was too late but the capture was criticised by bird

conservation

groups such as Birdlife and the RSPB in the UK. The Captive Animals'

Protection Society (CAPS), a UK organisation is now looking into this

issue

further. We have discovered that most of the penguins will be sold to

zoos

in Asia. Some will stay with the S African aquarium for breeding, some

will

go to a German zoo and the rest will go to:

 

Underwater World Langkawi - Pantai Cenang, Malaysia

Dalian Sun Asia Ocean World - Xinghai Bay Tourism Compound, Dalian,

China

Shanghai Ocean Aquarium - China

Akita Prefectural Oga Aquarium - Ojika-Shi, Japan

Nanki Shirahama Adventure World - Japan

 

If anyone has any information on any of these aquariums (such as their

conditions, criticisms etc) we would appreciate this information. We

want to

embarass those people who have allowed 150 animals to be taken from the

wild

to live in captivity. Although classed as 'vulnerable' these penguins

were

not being threatened on the islands and were not causing a problem. This

was

simply a commercial business.

 

Any information can be sent direct to CAPS at info

(other

contact details below)

 

Thanks for your help

Best Wishes

 

Craig Redmond

Campaigns Officer

Captive Animals' Protection Society

PO Box 573, Preston, PR1 9WW, UK

Phone/Fax: 0845 330 3911 (Direct line 0845 456 9381)

info

www.captiveanimals.org

 

 

 

 

--

Dave Neale

Animals Asia Foundation

 

Find out more about the historic China Bear Rescue by visiting the

Animals Asia Foundation website at http://www.animalsasia.org