Save the Whale!

'No whale sharks'

By Ang Yiying

NATURE and animal welfare groups in Singapore have banded together again to oppose the move by the integrated resort on Sentosa to bring in whale sharks for its oceanarium.

The Singapore Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA), the Nature Society of Singapore and the Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (Acres) objected publicly to the plan when Resorts World at Sentosa unveiled it in 2006.

With International Whale Shark Day being observed on Saturday, the groups said it was timely to create awareness of the issue again.

SPCA executive officer Deirdre Moss said the society was concerned about the welfare of the whale shark as some have died in captivity overseas.

She said: 'When we're talking about the biggest fish in the ocean, one has to ask the question, 'Who is benefiting? Is it the animal or is it the human?' The animal's welfare will definitely be compromised.'

Whale sharks can grow to 12m long and possibly up to 20m.

At very least this whale won't be eaten up by the Japanese...