In the UK, SEA LIFE aquariums pretend to be opposed to keeping whales and dolphins in captivity. They even claim to be campaigning for an end to dolphinariums in Europe. But the farcical nature of these claims was exposed when a Freedom for Animals investigation revealed that the SEA LIFE centre in Shanghai, China, hosts three times daily shows with performing wild-caught beluga whales.

In correspondence with Freedom for Animals, SEA LIFE have claimed to be “concerned with” the fact that the whales are in Shanghai …

CAPS’ campaign to call for an end to SEA LIFE aquarium’s cruel use of beluga whales in three times daily circus shows in the Shanghai SEA LIFE centre was launched six weeks ago. Since then, thousands have joined the call on the company to end the exploitation and retire the whales to safety. To-date those calls have been ignored as the company told Freedom for Animals it sees “no merit” in discussing the whales in Shanghai. The whales continue to perform to up to 6,000 …

As the SEA LIES campaign gathers momentum, we were delighted to receive these photos from friends at Animals Asia as Students at the Maritime Shanghai University staged an awareness-raising demonstration against whale and dolphin captivity. The University is located just one hour’s drive from the Chang Feng SEA LIFE centre, which uses performing whales in shows three times a day.

The message from the students, who were photographed holding anti-captivity placards for the event, was simple. A large red banner behind them, which was signed by supportive …

Freedom for Animals is delighted to announce that, following the launch of the SEA LIES campaign, which calls upon the world’s largest aquarium brand, SEA LIFE, to end its circus-style whale shows in its Shanghai centre, the charity has joined forces with the World Cetacean Alliance (WCA) to drive the campaign forward.

The WCA is comprised of over fifty partner organisations; all working with the shared aim of protecting cetaceans in their natural habitat and ending their use in captivity. Freedom for Animals Director, Liz Tyson, …

Two very important events over the weekend have helped to encourage a surge in support for Freedom for Animals’ ongoing SEA LIES campaign, which calls for an end to the cruel exploitation of whales in circus-style shows by UK company SEA LIFE aquariums, which is owned by Merlin Entertainments.

The first was the worldwide “Empty the Tanks” day of action for captive cetaceans; an initiative now in its second year which saw peaceful demonstrations against the use of whales in dolphins in captivity being carried out …

Since the 18th April this year, SEA LIFE aquariums, and their parent company, Merlin Entertainments, have come under fire for their secret use of whales in circus-style shows in their Shanghai centre. The company has refused to invest time in meeting with concerned parties to discuss their position and the ultimate fate of the whales – who continue to perform three times a day in the Shanghai SEA LIFE centre. Instead, said a Freedom for Animals spokesperson, SEA LIFE and Merlin have “spent time they …

This Easter weekend actions will be taking place around the world to speak out for whales kept captive by SEA LIFE. A number of animal advocates will be staging peaceful demonstrations at SEA LIFE centres around the UK in order to shine a spotlight on the company’s continued cruel use of beluga whales in circus-style shows in its Shanghai Centre. If you cannot make an event in person, you can still make a valuable contribution to the campaign.

All you need to do is print one …

In a move which has been branded “astoundingly cynical” by campaigners, Merlin Entertainments/ SEA LIFE appear to have taken action to quash criticism over its continued exploitation of Beluga whales in circus-style shows in its Shanghai centre… by rebranding the offending aquarium. Despite making repeated and highly-publicised claims that SEA LIFE is opposed to cetacean captivity, the company was exposed by Freedom for Animals in recent weeks for its active exploitation of Beluga whales in shows three times a day in its Shanghai Centre. That is, until Merlin …