Truemors
Following on from my earlier story about the Whale Shark caught off the coast of the UAE and taken to the newly opened Atlantis hotel for 'observations', new information has come to light on the future of this magnificent fish. I call for the organisation that protects these creatures to intervene and sort this matter out. Scandalous! Is there no end to what people will do to make money!
Image shows the now deceased Georgia Aquarium Whale Shark, one of two that died last year in captivity...
Craig Wright
Story from 7days.ae
Tuesday 7 Oct, 2008
No plans to release caught whale shark
Environmentalists have hit out at the management of Atlantis hotel for performing an apparent U-turn by deciding to keep a whale shark caught off Jebel Ali.
On September 9, the luxury resort issued a press release to say its marine experts had rescued a struggling four-metre whale shark.
The statement went on to say that the female animal had been taken to the hotel’s 11-million-litre lagoon “for medical care and observation” - with no mention of a permanent capture.
However, earlier this week, the resort’s managing director Alan Leibman reportedly said there were no plans to release the juvenile whale shark back into the wild.
Ibrahim Al-Zu’bi, environmental advisor for Emirates Diving Association, says he has seen the whale shark and believes it should be put back into the Arabian Gulf.
“It should be tagged and released, the sooner the better,” he told 7DAYS.
“I know Atlantis is under pressure at the moment because they have only just opened, but we’ve been told they would release the whale shark.
“They are using it for educational awareness. But they will have to release it because it can grow up to more than ten metres - it’s common sense.”
Al-Zu’bi also made reference to two other whale sharks which mysteriously died last year in Georgia Aquarium, in the United States. “I do not think this will be good propaganda to see another whale shark upside down in its aquarium,” he said,
“We are definitely against keeping whale sharks.”
One visitor to Atlantis said: “I think it’s disgusting that they are using this poor creature as a tourist attraction.
“It should be released back into the wild where it belongs and as soon as possible.”
And Ali Hood, director of conservation at UK-based Shark Trust, added: “We certainly would not support any venture that would use a whale shark merely as a financial attraction.”
Despite calls to Atlantis for an explanation into the future of the whale shark, the hotel was unavailable for comment.
Whale sharks are the world’s largest fish and can grow up to 15 metres in length.
Very little is known about the gentle animals that feed on plankton and small fish that they filter into their wide, flat mouths.
Whale sharks are listed as a vulnerable species by The World Conservation Union and are protected by CITES (Convention for the International Trade of Endangered Species).
Heavy fishing of the whale shark in several areas of Asia is believed to be one reason for its population decline.
Most RecentMost Recommended Comments (1)
at 01:59 on October 7th, 2008
So disgusted am I by this I've created a Facebook group to bring attention to the story. As a resident of The Palm Jumeirah I feel compelled to act on such news.