CAPS is campaigning to prevent the building of a massive aquarium
in Bedford. The following 'questions and answers' are designed to
encourage public debate about the NIRAH Project and provide answers
to common concerns:
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What is the NIRAH Project? |
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The National Institute for Research into Aquatic Habitats plans to build the world's largest freshwater aquarium on a site near Bedford (although the aquarium will also contain some brackish and marine habitats). The project would be based on a 40-hectare site (4 times bigger than the Eden Project) and consist of 'twin living-rainforest domes' housing lakes, lagoons and rivers stocked with thousands of species of freshwater fish, amphibians and reptiles, from crater-lake sharks to rainforest tree frogs. |
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What animals will be held captive at NIRAH? |
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Three aquaria and 'a host of smaller aquaria and vivaria' will contain aquatic animals, including a shoal of giant Mekong catfish, the world's largest freshwater fish.
According to reports, one dome alone would have 'more than 50 species of freshwater sharks and rays ... as well as enclosures for Komodo dragons and giant tortoises' [1].
But they will also make sure they provide sufficient space for 'gift shops and restaurants catering for public visitors' [1].
The aquarium will house aquatic or semi-aquatic animals, mostly fish, reptiles and amphibians. But NIRAH have not ruled out keeping mammals, even cetaceans (whales, dolphins, porpoises) or pinnipeds (seals and sealions) [2]. |
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Why is CAPS opposed to the aquarium? |
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CAPS objects to the captivity of wildlife for entertainment. We believe that zoos (including aquaria) exist primarily to serve tourists. Zoos claim to be essential for saving endangered species and for educating the public about animals, but the unnatural conditions they keep animals in doom any efforts to failure. Conservation has to be about protecting natural habitats. What education can there be in seeing animals in unnatural conditions, often displaying abnormal behaviours? See the zoo section of our website for more information
A study commissioned last year by CAPS found that 90% of UK public aquaria keep animals who display stereotypic behaviours, 79% of the animals had been taken from the wild and 98.2% of the animals do not belong to species classed as threatened. |
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Will any animals be taken from the wild? |
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NIRAH have told CAPS that 15-20% of all species they intend to display will have been wild-caught [2]. In April 2006, it told the Sunday Times that one-third of the animals will be taken from the wild [7]. This could mean that thousands of individual animals are taken from their natural habitats. Currently, huge numbers of animals wild-caught for aquaria do not survive the journey, or die soon after reaching the aquaria, and are replaced with yet more wild-caught individuals. |
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Will animal experiments take place at NIRAH? |
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A major part of NIRAH's plan is an on-site laboratory carrying out research on aquatic or semi-aquatic animals, to investigate the 'biomedical potential' hidden in the toxins, venoms and secretions they produce [3].
Although NIRAH are now shying away from even using words like 'experiment' or 'laboratory', it is clear that they will have an on-site laboratory where experiments on animals will take place. Licences from the Home Office to carry out experiments will be required. The only details made public so far are plans to research toxins and secretions through milking snakes and rays for their venom and taking samples from poison dart frogs [2].
CAPS believes that these experiments are invasive in themselves, but we are also concerned about what will happen with these venoms and toxins - will they be tested on other animals? Peter Scott, Chair of NIRAH's 'Ethics Committee' has admitted: "Collected venoms will be supplied to other labs where some animal work may be carried out, as it is now" [9].
Drug-company researchers will be allowed to 'rent' space in the laboratory [3].
Coincidentally (or not) there has recently been a run of press articles claiming the benefits of using animals such as reptiles and amphibians in drug research. |
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What will happen to 'surplus' animals? |
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As NIRAH plans to breed animals there will soon be too many animals for them to keep at the aquarium. While some of the animals will be passed to other zoos and aquaria, NIRAH have told CAPS: 'Offspring from the more common species - and the more prolific species - will be sold and exchanged to collectors and the more experienced aquatic hobbyist across the world, if the above avenues of disposal have been exhausted' [2]. CAPS is concerned about zoos selling animals to private keepers and cannot see how it meets any of the requirements of zoo regulations.
Some 'surplus' animals will also be used in NIRAH's research on food production (see below). |
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What else will go on there? |
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As well as the public aquarium (a zoo) and laboratory, they will also conduct research into breeding aquatic animals for human consumption. NIRAH told CAPS: 'certain common species will have to undergo field trials to evaluate their suitability for semi-domestication and their reliability as a food resource.' [2]
Amazingly, NIRAH have claimed: 'Even UK salmonid farming [salmon farming] has had major environmental benefits, in restoring rivers and protecting the other species that share these ecosystems.' [6]. Few environmentalists would share this belief, instead pointing to the huge animal welfare and environmental damage created by intensive fish farming in the UK and elsewhere for example, see Compassion in World Farming report
NIRAH have described animals as 'living gold' [4]. CAPS prefer to see animals as sentient beings with the right to a life without being removed from their natural habitats and confined in a zoo. |
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How much will it cost to build the NIRAH Project? |
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Costs have already spiralled from £160 million to £375 million, with £3 million of taxpayers money already given from Bedfordshire County Council and the East of England Development Agency. The Department of Trade and Industry have already given NIRAH a £4m loan to develop a business plan and a final design [5].
Despite all these funds, NIRAH have resorted to asking members of the public to donate up to £1,000 each to help get the proposals through planning stage [8]. |
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NIRAH will have an Ethics Committee - Does this satisfy
concerns? |
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No! In the past, ethics committees have been criticised as being a way of rubber-stamping projects with little real debate about ethics. Although we would have to wait for details of the 'NIRAH Independent Advisory Committee' to be published to see whether it really is independent, ethics committees used in other industries, such as vivisection, do not provide much hope that they are there to properly protect animals. |
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What can be done to help the animals? |
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CAPS are leading a campaign alongside Bedford Animal Action, backed by Animal Aid to prevent this aquarium and animal lab. We are drawing the full facts to the attention of the public and press and lobbying politicians locally and nationally. You can help by writing letters to various MPs and councils - click here - or contact CAPS for more information. |
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References:
[1] - 'Aquatic domes to dwarf Eden', Times Higher Supplement, 20 August 2004
[2] - Correspondence between NIRAH and CAPS, March 2005
[3] - 'Science to unlock toxic secrets', Times Higher Supplement, 20 August 2004
[4] - 'NIRAH and Freshwater Biodiversity: a preliminary global assessment'. Research compiled by Dr. Steve La Thangue, NIRAH
[5] - 'Green light for world's largest aquarium', Guardian, 12 May 2005
[6] - 'Frequently Asked Questions Concerning NIRAH's Animal Husbandry and Welfare', NIRAH website, March 2005
[7] - 'Eden team plan an aquatic heaven', Sunday Times, 2 April 2006
[8] - 'Nirah puts out the begging bowl', Times and Citizen, 14 July 2006
[9] - Peter Scott, letter to Times and Citizen, 4 August 2006
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