Until recently, only a few benthic species of shark, such as horn sharks, leopard sharks and cat sharks, had survived in aquarium conditions for over a year. Nowadays aquariums desire larger, open ocean (pelagic) sharks which brings further challenges in terms of providing adequate and appropriate space for the sharks to travel around in. There also arises the issue of electromagnetic signals. However, no aquarium tank can provide these animals an optimal environment and, in many cases, large shark species are dumped into unsuitable, restrictive …

A very special group of marine fish exploited by the aquarium industry are the Syngnathidae, a family that includes seahorses, pipefishes, and sea dragons. Seahorses are bony fishes whose evolutionary history is so recent that the major stages of morphological evolution are still represented in extant species.

Sea Life London states: ‘We never take any [seahorses] from the sea for display – and if they become extinct, we’ll release our stocks into the wild’ (Sea Life website). In reality, if seahorse species become extinct, it is …

It is acknowledged that reptiles experience negative emotional states, can suffer, and there is growing evidence that reptiles are far more intellectually and socially complex than previously thought. In fact, new findings about the rich intellectual, emotional and social lives of reptiles surface every year.

30% of Sea Life aquariums house four species of crocodile – Yacare caiman (Caiman yacare), Cuban crocodile, African dwarf crocodile, and Cuvier’s dwarf caiman (Paleosuchus palpebrosus). None of these crocodile are suited to life in captivity – the Cuvier’s dwarf caiman …

Octopuses are carnivorous, marine animals considered the most intelligent invertebrate. They have a well-developed nervous system and a complex brain, which is relatively larger than the brains of some fishes and reptiles.

Octopuses have numerous sense organs which rival those found in vertebrates in their complexity, including excellent eyesight and sense of touch. Like other animals, octopuses have temperaments that vary between individuals. They learn mazes, distinguish between shapes and patterns in classical conditioning, use landmark navigation whilst foraging, use tools, and play. Despite this, they …