A cross-party group of 75 MPs has joined animal welfare campaigners in an urgent plea for the release of 15 gentoo penguins reportedly “trapped in a basement without sunlight or fresh air” at the Sea Life London Aquarium.
The campaign, spearheaded by an unnamed MP, describes the birds’ captivity at the riverside attraction, a short distance from Parliament, as “un-British”.
Members of Parliament from across the political spectrum have co-signed an open letter, demanding an immediate review into the welfare conditions of the penguins.
Owned by Merlin Entertainments, the aquarium first introduced 10 gentoo penguins from Edinburgh Zoo in May 2011.
Campaigners assert that these birds have now endured “14 years in a basement” where their pool is said to be only six to seven feet deep.
In a letter sent to Emma Reynolds MP, the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the group asked her to “consider whether the penguins should be relocated to a more suitable facility better aligned with their behavioural, ecological and physiological needs”.
David Taylor, Labour MP for Hemel Hempstead and letter co-ordinator, said: “It’s 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.
“Labour has always stood up for animals and we won’t stop until these penguins get the life they deserve.”
The campaign has already received the backing of musician-turned-environmentalist Feargal Sharkey, who challenged the new Merlin Entertainments chief executive Fiona Eastwood to “swap places with the penguins”.
Naturalist and TV presenter Chris Packham CBE, who attended a protest outside the aquarium last month, called it “a blight on the reputation of London’s attractions”.
Merlin Entertainments is co-run by Blackstone Group, Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB) and Kirkbi, the investment arm of the Lego family.
The British theme park giant owns a wide range of attractions across the UK, including Alton Towers, Legoland Windsor, Madame Tussauds, Thorpe Park and Chessington World of Adventures.
A spokesperson for the Sea Life London Aquarium said previously the penguins’ habitat was “designed with help and advice from specialist vets”, adding: “It provides an excellent balance of water and land for the penguins which enables them to express their normal behaviours, and there is space for them to ensure they have sufficient privacy.”
A petition by campaign group Freedom For Animals calling for the penguins to be moved into a better facility has received more than 37,000 signatures.
