🐧 Free the Penguins! 🐧
A lively protest took over London this Sunday, with hundreds gathering at Sea Life London Aquarium in Westminster, all in the name of freeing 15 gentoo penguins they believe are trapped in a basement. 🎉 Organised by Freedom For Animals and backed by Born Free and The Express, the protest has sparked a passionate debate about the wellbeing of these adorable creatures.
Animal rights activists, including famed environmentalist Feargal Sharkey, are making noise about the conditions these penguins face, claiming they’ve spent 14 years without sunlight or fresh air. Sharkey even challenged the CEO of Merlin Entertainments to swap places with the penguins. 😲
Protest support echoes from voices like nature enthusiasts Chris Packham and Megan McCubbin. They argue that keeping these penguins in a basement tarnishes the reputation of one of London’s favourite attractions. “Do we really want to be known for imprisoning birds for profit?” Packham questioned. “They deserve a proper, sunlit habitat – a facility where they can truly thrive.”
Merlin Entertainments insists their enclosure offers a great balance for the penguins, although skeptics like TV’s Packham aren’t convinced, calling it “a blight on London’s attractions”. 🏢
There’s a growing chorus urging for relocation of these water birds to places like London or Edinburgh Zoos, with facilities better suited for their needs. As McCubbin beautifully put it, “Gentoo penguins are one of the planet’s most amazing species.” They deserve to live in dignity, not in dark confines.
Despite the ongoing discourse, Sea Life London Aquarium emphasises their commitment to global conservation efforts. But green energy mogul Dale Vince thinks otherwise, voicing there’s no conservational value in breeding penguins in a basement. 😡💬
The Free The Fifteen campaign, launched last year, has already gathered over 13,000 supporters. Could this be a turning point for captive penguins in the UK? Let us know what you think! 👇 #FreeTheFifteen #PenguinRights #LondonAquariumProtest