{"id":2189104,"date":"2025-11-18T06:00:16","date_gmt":"2025-11-18T05:00:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/focusingonwildlife.com\/news\/?p=2189104"},"modified":"2025-11-16T09:47:34","modified_gmt":"2025-11-16T08:47:34","slug":"pressure-grows-for-release-of-penguins-trapped-at-london-aquarium","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/focusingonwildlife.com\/news\/pressure-grows-for-release-of-penguins-trapped-at-london-aquarium\/","title":{"rendered":"Pressure grows for release of penguins \u2018trapped\u2019 at London aquarium"},"content":{"rendered":"

Dozens of British lawmakers have called for the release of 15 penguins \u201ctrapped\u201d at a London aquarium without access to daylight or fresh air, saying their living conditions are \u201cutterly unacceptable.\u201d<\/p>\n

The 15 Gentoo penguins are housed in an enclosure at the Sea Life London Aquarium, located next to the River Thames, a short distance from the Houses of Parliament.<\/p>\n

The aquarium, owned by Merlin Entertainments, first opened its penguin exhibit in May 2011, according to the UK\u2019s PA Media news agency.<\/p>\n

Campaigners say the penguins \u201care a small colony, in a tiny enclosure, that does not meet their physical and social needs and does not allow them to enjoy their natural behaviours.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTheir enclosure offers just 6-7 feet of depth in which to dive \u2014 a pitiful fraction of the 600ft they can dive to in the wild,\u201d animal advocates say in a petition that\u2019s been signed by more than 37,000 people.<\/p>\n

Now, more than 70 members of parliament have signed a letter sent to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), asking the government to \u201cconsider whether the penguins should be relocated to a more suitable facility better aligned with their behavioural, ecological and physiological needs,\u201d PA Media reported.<\/p>\n

The letter was coordinated by David Taylor, a lawmaker from the ruling Labour party.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s un-British to keep penguins trapped in a basement with no daylight or fresh air. No animal should live like that, with their rights appearing to be traded for hard cash,\u201d said Taylor.<\/p>\n

\"Demonstrators
Demonstrators call for the release of the penguins at a protest on October 19. Vuk Valcic\/SOPA Images\/LightRocket\/Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Another signatory, Danny Chambers, a lawmaker from the Liberal Democrat party, said the penguins were kept in \u201cutterly unacceptable\u201d conditions.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey are denied fresh air, natural light and the space they need to thrive,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

The campaign to release the penguins and to cease all breeding programs at the aquarium has gained traction in recent months.<\/p>\n

Broadcaster and environmental campaigner Chris Packham attended a protest outside the aquarium last month, calling the living conditions \u201ccompletely obscene,\u201d adding: \u201cIt must not go on.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThese 15 penguins are currently being housed underground with no access to daylight or fresh air in a basement that has continuously held penguins since May 2011. One penguin, Polly, has been held there for over 14 years,\u201d said Packham in the social media post.<\/p>\n

A spokesperson from the Merlin Entertainments\u2019 Conservation, Welfare & Education team said in a statement that it had a team of specialists that ensure the penguins are \u201chealthy and thriving.\u201d<\/p>\n

The facility where the penguins are housed was designed in conjunction with vets and penguin specialists, they added, and told PA media that the facility is on the ground floor of the aquarium rather than the basement.<\/p>\n

\u201cReleasing them into the wild simply isn\u2019t a safe option for these penguins, who have always lived in human care,\u201d said the spokesperson.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is a complex issue. There\u2019s a lot to consider, and we take every decision seriously, always guided by what\u2019s best for the animals.\u201d<\/p>\n

A DEFRA spokesperson told CNN in a statement: \u201cThis government is committed to the highest standards of animal welfare. We recently launched an overhaul of welfare standards in zoos to strengthen protections and ensure all animals \u2013 including gentoo penguins \u2013 are cared for in line with best practice.\u201d<\/p>\n

This article<\/a> by Jack Guy was first published by CNN Travel on 12 November 2025. Lead Image:\u00a0One of the 15 Gentoo penguins pictured at Sea Life London Aquarium. Born Free\/PA Wire.<\/em><\/p>\n

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