The Turtle Foundation recently received a message from Malcom, a very concerned person, who just returned from a holiday in Dubrovnik. In this message he tells the responsible people of the aquarium about what he found when visiting the Dubrovnik Aquarium and how much he disliked it:
Email to the Dubrovnik Aquarium and the Croatian Tourist Board
Hello,
I have recently returned from a wonderful holiday in Dubrovnik. I thoroughly enjoyed my visit, the weather was fine, the old town stunningly beautiful and the area I was staying in (Lapad) had a wonderful selection of restaurants etc. for a quiet evening's dining. I found the people very hospitable and would recommend a holiday there to anyone else thinking of going.
There was however one part of the trip over which I have great concern. During a visit to Dubrovnik Aquarium I could not help but notice the appalling conditions under which a Sea Turtle was being kept. It was repeatedly circling around in a tank which was obviously far too small to be considered appropriate for an animal which normally swims in the sea. The tank was shallow and was full of coins that visitors were obviously just throwing in the pool. There has obviously been no attempt from staff members to clear the pool of the coins.
Having done some research on the Turtle I am aware that it about 40 years old and has been in captivity for most of that time. I understand from the aquarium web-site that the turtle was moved into a larger tank in 2004. I can only assume that the original tank was minute if the current tank is considered an improvement.
I also understand that Medasset (Medditeranean Association to Save The Sea Turtles) had offered the opportunity for the turtle to be rehabilitated by Dr. Flegra Bentivegna of the Stazione Zoologica in a facility in Naples, Italy which had experience in preparing sea turtles for return to the wild, or if that were not possible, to ensure that they lived in an environment where they recieved the care and attention required to ensure that they could have a good life. Apparently this kind and generous offer was turned down by the Aquarium. The Aquarium's number one priority should be the welfare of their animals, and that should be put above anything, including the viability of the aquarium as a tourist attraction.
I would suggest that the Turtle needs to be moved as soon as possible to a tank that is large enough to allow it to use its flippers to move at full stretch and to build up the muscle it must have lost over the years.
I sincerely hope that you can urge all parties concerned to allow the Turtle to be released to the institution in Italy or another similar one elsewhere in the world where it can be rehabilitated and cared for properly. It is unlikely given its age that this turtle can be released back into the wild, but the very least it deserves it to be held in an environment which allows it to live as near to a normal life as possible.
I am utterly appalled that anyone could think its current situation in any way suitable for a wild animal to be kept.
I sincerely hope that you will act to put an end to a situation that threatens to severely damage Dubrovnik's reputation abroad.
Yours Sincerely,
Malcom from the U.K.