A boy looking at a gentoo penguin at Sea Life London's Aquarium (Image: Daily Express)
Twenty cross-party MPs have demanded the release of 15 penguins from a basement aquarium enclosure without daylight or fresh air.
All four Green Party MPs, Labour MP Mary Kelly Foy and 15 Liberal Democrats have signed an Early Day Motion (EDM) calling for Sea Life London Aquarium to free the gentoo penguins.
DON'T MISS
Powered by
Winter fuel payment nightmare as millions of pensioners are dealt fresh energy bill blow
564 Comments
'I'm a British doctor who helps people die in Australia - coercion is not a problem'
7 Comments
G20 summit live: Keir Starmer to meet Xi Jinping face-to-face as he cosies-up to Communist
366 Comments
Reform MP delivers brutal Starmer takedown - 'Britain can't afford this Government'
90 Comments
SNP civil war erupts as John Swinney urged to sack key ally after major failure
18 Comments
Crime pays under Labour! Scrapping illegal migrant deterrent opens door for traffickers
80 Comments
Humiliation for Rachel Reeves as Stamp Duty raid completely backfires
232 Comments
Reform funds private prosecution over Manchester airport brawl, Farage announces
Comments
Huge problem with council's four-day week laid bare as emails go unanswered for days
51 Comments
Keir Starmer hints at paying Vietnam and Turkey to stop migrants entering Britain
287 Comments
Keir Starmer blasted by Tory MPs ahead of meeting with China's Xi Jinping
226 Comments
'Nothing short of a failure!' Lee Anderson blasts Andrew Bailey after anti-Brexit speech
60 Comments
‘Forked tongue hypocrisy!' Keir Starmer sparks fury with six-word comment about police
192 Comments
Keir Starmer told 'it's time' to green-light use of Storm Shadow missiles in Russia
452 Comments
Tories tipped for bombshell election victory as new poll hands boost to Kemi Badenoch
Comments
Elon Musk slams Keir Starmer saying UK has gone 'full Stalin' over farmer tax
1 Comments
Blow for Keir Starmer's EU negotiation plans as public say US is a more important ally
76 Comments
We must stand shoulder to shoulder with our farmers - they need us now
15 Comments
Labour 'wasting' ￡170m in taxpayer cash reopening old asylum centres
42 Comments
No. 10 claims Rachel Reeves is being 'straight' with public after CV 'lying' exposed
133 Comments
Winter fuel payment nightmare as millions of pensioners are dealt fresh energy bill blow
564 Comments
'I'm a British doctor who helps people die in Australia - coercion is not a problem'
7 Comments
G20 summit live: Keir Starmer to meet Xi Jinping face-to-face as he cosies-up to Communist
366 Comments
Reform MP delivers brutal Starmer takedown - 'Britain can't afford this Government'
90 Comments
SNP civil war erupts as John Swinney urged to sack key ally after major failure
18 Comments
Crime pays under Labour! Scrapping illegal migrant deterrent opens door for traffickers
80 Comments
Humiliation for Rachel Reeves as Stamp Duty raid completely backfires
232 Comments
Reform funds private prosecution over Manchester airport brawl, Farage announces
Comments
Huge problem with council's four-day week laid bare as emails go unanswered for days
51 Comments
Keir Starmer hints at paying Vietnam and Turkey to stop migrants entering Britain
287 Comments
Keir Starmer blasted by Tory MPs ahead of meeting with China's Xi Jinping
226 Comments
'Nothing short of a failure!' Lee Anderson blasts Andrew Bailey after anti-Brexit speech
60 Comments
‘Forked tongue hypocrisy!' Keir Starmer sparks fury with six-word comment about police
192 Comments
Keir Starmer told 'it's time' to green-light use of Storm Shadow missiles in Russia
452 Comments
Tories tipped for bombshell election victory as new poll hands boost to Kemi Badenoch
Comments
Elon Musk slams Keir Starmer saying UK has gone 'full Stalin' over farmer tax
1 Comments
Blow for Keir Starmer's EU negotiation plans as public say US is a more important ally
76 Comments
We must stand shoulder to shoulder with our farmers - they need us now
15 Comments
Labour 'wasting' ￡170m in taxpayer cash reopening old asylum centres
42 Comments
No. 10 claims Rachel Reeves is being 'straight' with public after CV 'lying' exposed
133 Comments
Winter fuel payment nightmare as millions of pensioners are dealt fresh energy bill blow
564 Comments
'I'm a British doctor who helps people die in Australia - coercion is not a problem'
7 Comments
G20 summit live: Keir Starmer to meet Xi Jinping face-to-face as he cosies-up to Communist
366 Comments
Reform MP delivers brutal Starmer takedown - 'Britain can't afford this Government'
90 Comments
SNP civil war erupts as John Swinney urged to sack key ally after major failure
18 Comments
Crime pays under Labour! Scrapping illegal migrant deterrent opens door for traffickers
80 Comments
Humiliation for Rachel Reeves as Stamp Duty raid completely backfires
232 Comments
Isobel McNally, campaigns officer at Freedom for Animals, said: “ "The fact that 20 of our MPs have now signed the EDM calling for an end to Sea Life and Merlin Entertainments' exploitation of gentoo penguins sends them a clear message: what you are doing is wrong, and people at every level want you to stop.
“Almost 2,500 members of the public have now signed the petition for their release. Enough is enough. Stop breeding more animals to be used as exhibits, and rehome those you already have to appropriate sanctuaries."
EDMs are motions submitted for debate in the House of Commons for which no day has been fixed.
By attracting the signatures of more MPs, the EDM can be used to demonstrate the level of parliamentary support for the campaign to free the penguins.
Very few EDMs actually get debated but they help draw attention to a topic.
Broadcaster Chris Packham, former Undertones frontman Feargal Sharkey and around two dozen animal welfare charities have backed pleas to move the animals.
The Express was threatened with legal action earlier this year by the aquarium for daring to say its penguins were "captive".
Campaigners want Sea Life London, which is owned by Merlin Entertainments, to halt all penguin breeding programmes, permanently stop the exhibition of the animals and move them to a facility that provides a more naturalistic environment.
Gentoo penguins are native to sub-Antarctic islands where chilly temperatures allow for ideal breeding, foraging and nesting conditions.
Trending
SUBSCRIBE Invalid email
We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you've consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. Read our Privacy Policy
Freedom for Animals described how the aquarium enclosure only allows them to dive to 7ft - a far cry from the 600ft in the wild.
DON'T MISS
Powered by
Winter fuel payment nightmare as millions of pensioners are dealt fresh energy bill blow
564 Comments
'I'm a British doctor who helps people die in Australia - coercion is not a problem'
7 Comments
G20 summit live: Keir Starmer to meet Xi Jinping face-to-face as he cosies-up to Communist
367 Comments
Reform MP delivers brutal Starmer takedown - 'Britain can't afford this Government'
91 Comments
SNP civil war erupts as John Swinney urged to sack key ally after major failure
18 Comments
Crime pays under Labour! Scrapping illegal migrant deterrent opens door for traffickers
80 Comments
Humiliation for Rachel Reeves as Stamp Duty raid completely backfires
232 Comments
Reform funds private prosecution over Manchester airport brawl, Farage announces
Comments
Huge problem with council's four-day week laid bare as emails go unanswered for days
51 Comments
Keir Starmer hints at paying Vietnam and Turkey to stop migrants entering Britain
287 Comments
Keir Starmer blasted by Tory MPs ahead of meeting with China's Xi Jinping
226 Comments
'Nothing short of a failure!' Lee Anderson blasts Andrew Bailey after anti-Brexit speech
60 Comments
‘Forked tongue hypocrisy!' Keir Starmer sparks fury with six-word comment about police
192 Comments
Keir Starmer told 'it's time' to green-light use of Storm Shadow missiles in Russia
452 Comments
Tories tipped for bombshell election victory as new poll hands boost to Kemi Badenoch
Comments
Elon Musk slams Keir Starmer saying UK has gone 'full Stalin' over farmer tax
1 Comments
Blow for Keir Starmer's EU negotiation plans as public say US is a more important ally
76 Comments
We must stand shoulder to shoulder with our farmers - they need us now
13 Comments
Labour 'wasting' ￡170m in taxpayer cash reopening old asylum centres
42 Comments
No. 10 claims Rachel Reeves is being 'straight' with public after CV 'lying' exposed
133 Comments
Winter fuel payment nightmare as millions of pensioners are dealt fresh energy bill blow
564 Comments
'I'm a British doctor who helps people die in Australia - coercion is not a problem'
7 Comments
G20 summit live: Keir Starmer to meet Xi Jinping face-to-face as he cosies-up to Communist
367 Comments
Reform MP delivers brutal Starmer takedown - 'Britain can't afford this Government'
91 Comments
SNP civil war erupts as John Swinney urged to sack key ally after major failure
18 Comments
Crime pays under Labour! Scrapping illegal migrant deterrent opens door for traffickers
80 Comments
Humiliation for Rachel Reeves as Stamp Duty raid completely backfires
232 Comments
Reform funds private prosecution over Manchester airport brawl, Farage announces
Comments
Huge problem with council's four-day week laid bare as emails go unanswered for days
51 Comments
Keir Starmer hints at paying Vietnam and Turkey to stop migrants entering Britain
287 Comments
Keir Starmer blasted by Tory MPs ahead of meeting with China's Xi Jinping
226 Comments
'Nothing short of a failure!' Lee Anderson blasts Andrew Bailey after anti-Brexit speech
60 Comments
‘Forked tongue hypocrisy!' Keir Starmer sparks fury with six-word comment about police
192 Comments
Keir Starmer told 'it's time' to green-light use of Storm Shadow missiles in Russia
452 Comments
Tories tipped for bombshell election victory as new poll hands boost to Kemi Badenoch
Comments
Elon Musk slams Keir Starmer saying UK has gone 'full Stalin' over farmer tax
1 Comments
Blow for Keir Starmer's EU negotiation plans as public say US is a more important ally
76 Comments
We must stand shoulder to shoulder with our farmers - they need us now
13 Comments
Labour 'wasting' ￡170m in taxpayer cash reopening old asylum centres
42 Comments
No. 10 claims Rachel Reeves is being 'straight' with public after CV 'lying' exposed
133 Comments
Winter fuel payment nightmare as millions of pensioners are dealt fresh energy bill blow
564 Comments
'I'm a British doctor who helps people die in Australia - coercion is not a problem'
7 Comments
G20 summit live: Keir Starmer to meet Xi Jinping face-to-face as he cosies-up to Communist
367 Comments
Reform MP delivers brutal Starmer takedown - 'Britain can't afford this Government'
91 Comments
SNP civil war erupts as John Swinney urged to sack key ally after major failure
18 Comments
Crime pays under Labour! Scrapping illegal migrant deterrent opens door for traffickers
80 Comments
Humiliation for Rachel Reeves as Stamp Duty raid completely backfires
232 Comments
A spokeswoman for Sea Life London Aquarium said: “The welfare of all the animals in our care is of paramount importance to us at Sea Life and we are committed to delivering the highest levels of care through our team of dedicated welfare experts, both internal and external.
“The gentoo penguin habitat at Sea Life London Aquarium was designed with help and advice from specialist vets. 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.
“As part of its overall mission, Sea Life London Aquarium has an opportunity and responsibility in sharing the wonders of the natural world in an accessible manner. With the opportunity to influence more than a million people who visit Sea Life London Aquarium from all around the globe each year to care for the world’s oceans and the marine life within it, we believe this is a hugely positive thing.”