Acquisition of endangered species draws criticism from environmentalists

Hong Kong Ocean Park is going all out to celebrate the opening of its new theme zone Aqua City Thursday.

Aqua City is a new attraction of Ocean Park, which consists of a square dotted with sculptures of sea creatures and an egg-shaped grand aquarium.

The new aquarium is home to 5,000 marine animals of more than 400 species.

In front of the aquarium is set a lagoon where nighttime show will be put on on a 360 degree water screen. The show will discuss the harmonious relationship between humans and nature.

Meanwhile, the Ocean Park exhibit drew criticism from environmentalists who accused the park of importing endangered species for the new exhibition.

Green Sense cited the critically endangered bluefin tuna and some penguins as examples and argued that some of the captured fish had died as a result of mistreatment.

Samuel Hung, chairman of Hong Kong Dolphin Conservation Society, said, the fish died because of the long transportation process and the stress of being held in a captive environment.

The water quality at the aquarium is not up to standard as a result of hurried preparation to get the attraction ready for the Chinese New Year holidays, said Hung.

He quoted a staff member working in the aquarium, saying 10 out of 80 bluefin tuna and more than half of 40 hammerhead sharks died.

Allan Zeman, chairman of the park, admitted that some fish died during transportation but denied it was because of inappropriate care by the staff.

"When we first bought the bluefin tuna from Japan, some of the fish did die en route. This was quite normal, like human beings. Some people die, some babies are born every second ... Basically, that's part of life. It wasn't because of mistreatment," he said.

Ocean Park has its own animal acquisition policy, claiming "acquisition of animals from the wild is always a last alternative and pursued only if there is independently verifiable scientific evidence that the wild population is sustainable and that the removal of a limited number of animals is non-detrimental to the population's survival."

However, Hung argued, there are not studies showing bluefin tuna and scalloped hammerhead sharks can sustain in a captive exhibition environment.

"The aquarium is simply a money-making tool to draw more tourists. Our main concern is the lack of transparency and governance of the park, not just the acquisition itself," Hung said.

Civic Party legislator Audrey Eu has written to Zeman, urging the park to provide details to explain how the new attractions are compatible with the park's theme of marine education and conservation.