March 20, 2009
Sea Shepherd Opposes Proposed Whale Shark Import in Singapore
Singapore's proposed casino resort, Resorts World at Sentosa, wants to capture whale sharks from the wild for its aquarium attraction. Whale sharks are vulnerable to extinction and often die in captivity. They can grow up to 15 meters in length, dive up to 980 meters in depth, and migrate thousands of kilometers in the wild. No man-made environment can adequately cater to their needs. Sea Shepherd Conservation Society and PETA have joined forces with local Singaporean organizations to launch a public awareness campaign against the importation of whale sharks into Singapore. Visit http://www.whalesharkpetition.com to voice your opposition to this cruel act disguised as conservation.
Background Information
| Common name: | Whale Shark |
| Scientific name: | Rhincodon typus |
| Full adult size: | Up to 20m; Largest fish in the sea |
| Habitat & distribution: | Circumglobal distribution in all tropical and warm temperate seas; Highly migratory and have been tracked over 13000 km; And diving to depths of about 1000 m. |
| Lifespan: | Up to 100 years |
| Conservation status: | Listed as "Vulnerable" in the Red List of Threatened Species of the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN). Listed under Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), which advises that trade in whale sharks and their parts must be strictly permit-controlled. |
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