“Free The Fifteen”: let’s free the penguins from the Sea Life Aquarium in London who have been locked up in a basement for 14 years

In London, around 300 activists gathered outside the Sea Life London Aquarium to demand the release of 15 gentoo penguins, accusing the facility of keeping them “locked in a basement with no natural light or fresh airThe event, organized by the Freedom For Animals group with the support of Born Free and the newspaper The Expresshas put the spotlight on an issue that divides environmentalists and water park managers.

The penguins arrived in 2011 from Edinburgh Zoo and, according to protesters, have been living in unnatural conditions for 14 years, with a pool just two meters deep. An imprisonment that many define as unacceptable, especially in a city like London, which likes to define itself as “green” and respectful of animal welfare.

Celebrities and environmentalists against Merlin Entertainments

Among those present there was also Feargal Sharkey, former singer of the Undertones, who launched a provocation to the new CEO of Merlin Entertainments, the company that manages Sea Life: “If you really want to understand how those penguins live, spend a month down there. I will donate £1,000 to a charity of your choice“. Supporting him was the naturalist Chris Packham, who defined the exhibition as “a stain on the reputation of London’s attractions”.

Packham added that the company has the resources to transfer the animals to more suitable facilities, such as London Zoo or Edinburgh Zoo, which have outdoor spaces although these are temporary solutions with the animals continuing to live in captivity. Biologist Megan McCubbin also described the environment as “a very dark basement where penguins cannot live according to nature”.

The defense of the aquarium and the awareness campaign

For its part, Sea Life London Aquarium responded to criticism by claiming that the penguin habitat was designed “with the help of specialized veterinarians“, guaranteeing space, privacy and natural behavior. Furthermore, the company recalled its commitment to conservation through the “Breed, Rescue, Protect” program, aimed at endangered species.

But activists counter: Gentoo penguins are not an endangered species, so there is no real justification for keeping them in captivity. The “Free The Fifteen” campaign, launched in 2024, has already collected over 13,000 signatures and aims to obtain the definitive liberation of the penguinssymbol – according to the promoters – of a broader debate on the boundary between conservation and exploitation of animals for tourism purposes.

CLICK HERE to sign the petition.