Pressure grows to release 15 penguins 'trapped in basement without sunlight or fresh air'

MPs have joined a campaign calling for 15 penguins "trapped in a basement without sunlight or fresh air" in central London to be released.

A group of 75 politicians has described their captivity at the Sea Life London Aquarium - a stone's throw from the Houses of Parliament - as "un-British".

The aquarium, in the County Hall building on the South bank, opposite the London Eye, first launched its exhibit of gentoo penguins in May 2011, and campaigners are arguing they "have now endured 14 years" in a small space with a pool just 2.1m (7ft) deep.

Environment Secretary Emma Reynolds has been asked to "consider whether the penguins should be relocated to a more suitable facility better aligned with their behavioural, ecological and physiological needs".

David Taylor - the Labour MP for Hemel Hempstead - coordinated the letter and said the campaign "won't stop until these penguins get the life they deserve".

He added: "No animal should live like that, with their rights appearing to be traded for hard cash."

Pressure has been building in recent weeks on Merlin Entertainments, the company that owns the aquarium, as well as attractions including Alton Towers and Madame Tussauds.

Environmentalist Feargal Sharkey recently challenged its chief executive Fiona Eastwood to "swap places with the penguins", in an "old council building", for a month.

"It's idiotic. It's a nonsense, and it's got to stop," he warned.

Meanwhile, naturalist Chris Packham - who attended a protest outside the aquarium last month - described it as a "blight on the reputation of London's attractions".

A petition launched by the Freedom for Animals campaign group has now received more than 37,000 signatures - with Born Free saying at least two of the birds have never seen the sky.

But a spokesperson for Merlin's conversation team said the current enclosure represents the penguins' natural habitat - and is on the ground floor rather than the basement.

A statement added: "We know that many people care deeply about the gentoo penguins at Sea Life London Aquarium - we do too.

"We have an incredible team of conservationists, animal welfare specialists, and aquarists who are with the penguins every day, making sure they're healthy and thriving.

"And we don't do this alone - we work with some of the best penguin experts in the world, including vets and specialists in penguin behaviour and habitat design."

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Merlin went on to say that "Penguin Point" was built to replicate their natural environment, with climate-controlled temperature and filtered fresh air.

"These are things that can't easily be replicated outdoors and releasing them into the wild simply isn't a safe option for these penguins, who have always lived in human care."

The company added that the penguins' care is a "complex issue" and every decision about their welfare is taken seriously.

"We're open. We're listening. And we've always done what's right for our animals based on expert advice and their individual needs. That's a commitment we stand by."

A DEFRA spokesperson didn't address the Sea Life London Aquarium specifically, but said: "This 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 - including gentoo penguins - are cared for in line with best practice."

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