http://www.whalesharkpetition.com/

Resorts World at Sentosa wants to import whale sharks for the attraction and entertainment of visitors. Whale sharks are vulnerable to extinction and have never done well in captivity. They can grow as large as two city buses, migrate thousands of kilometers in the wild, and live up to a hundred years. It is just plain cruel to keep them in glass cages.

Whale sharks have never fared well in captivity. Two whale sharks died within five months of each other at the Georgia Aquarium.

Write to the Minister of National Development, the Singapore Tourism Board and
Resorts World at Sentosa before this tragedy happens on our shores.

Click here to read Resorts World at Sentosa's reply.

Sign the petition

http://www.whalesharkpetition.com/

I am writing to express my concern with Resorts World at Sentosa’s plan to import whale sharks for the attraction and entertainment of visitors.

Whale sharks are a species vulnerable to extinction and efforts must be undertaken to protect all remaining wild populations. There can be no merit from removing a whale shark from its natural environment for a life in captivity. 1

On top of this, whale sharks can dive up to 980 metres and migrate over 13 thousand kilometres. No man-made environment, no matter how large, could accomodate their needs.

Evidence has shown that whale sharks fare poorly in captivity. In fact, two whale sharks - Ralph and Norton - died within five months of each other at the Georgia aquarium, U.S.A. I strongly urge you to take action to prevent the same tragedy from happening in Singapore. 2

The Singapore government has always worked towards being a caring and sophisticated society, and keeping an internationally protected species captive will inversely affect the progressive image that Singapore wants to achieve.

The Atlantis resort in Dubai has constantly been under fire for the negligence of conservation principles in the face of profits and their list of marine attractions are disturbingly similar to those of Resorts World at Sentosa’s proposed Marine Life Park. 3

The Atlantis resort also imported dolphins from the Solomon Islands to their man-made facility to swim with guests. And to date they still face widespread criticism for their October 2008 capture and confinement of “Sammy”, a juvenile whale shark. Readers of Dubai-based newspaper, Gulf News, called it “cruel beyond belief”. 4

The launch of Singapore’s first integrated resort should not be plagued by negative press and international criticism.

It is time for Singapore to take the lead in Southeast Asian tourism and create a Marine Life Park that stands apart from other aquariums worldwide by promoting native flora and fauna, such as the mangrove and reef ecosystems, and contributing to conservation by way of positive action.

I urge you to consider the above and stop the import of whale sharks now. 

1. 2008 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species:
http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/19488
2. (2007, June 14) from CBS News website: Second rare shark dies in aquarium mystery. http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/06/14/tech/main2927964.shtml
3. (2009, February 9) from Brisbane Times website: Atlantis hotel under fire over shark. http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/travel/travel-news/atlantis-hotel-under-fire-over-shark-20090209-81if.html
4. (2008, October 9) from Gulf News website: Cruel beyond belief, readers say http://archive.gulfnews.com/indepth/whaleshark/more_stories/10250751.html