Plans to build a £300m freshwater aquarium in Bedford, UK, which would dwarf Cornwall’s Eden Project have come under fire from a joint campaign by two animal rights groups.
Animal Aid and the Captive Animals Protection Society (CAPS) have denounced the National Institute for Research into Aquatic Habitats (NIRAH) project as they claim that most species would be taken from the wild and the site would include a research laboratory used by pharmaceutical companies and university scientists.
In a statement, a spokesperson for CAPS said: “We object to the captivity of wildlife for entertainment and it is clear they will have an on-site laboratory where experiments will take place.”
A spokesperson for NIRAH refuted the claims. “Only a limited proportion of the animals in our care would actually come from the wild.” he said.
“No surgical Procedure wull be sanctioned unless it is a veterinary treatment for the benefit of the individual or the safety of the species.”
NIRAH is scheduled to open in 2011.
