Animal activists oppose India’s largest Marine Park in Hyderabad
Hyderabad: Animal rights activists urge the Telangana government to abandon plans for India's largest Marine Park and aviary at Kothwalguda, citing environmental and ethical concerns.
The proposed facility faces criticism on multiple fronts. The main contentions of the animal rights activists are excessive water usage. “The marine park establishment has implications for water usage and scarcity, especially large aquariums or exhibits, which demand substantial amounts of water for operations, regardless of freshwater or saltwater. This excessive water usage places an added strain on local water resources, particularly in areas already facing water scarcity or drought conditions,” said N Pravallika, an animal welfare activist and Environmentalist. He is also one of the petitioners who knocked Telangana High Court to stop the Aqua Marine Park and aviary construction at Kothwalguda.
Activists argue the project will strain water resources, with an estimated consumption of 3 million liters for the aquarium and an additional 2 million liters for the tunnel tank. The other petitioners include Film actresses G Sri Divya and Renu Desai, filmmaker Sashi Kiran Tikka, and Aditya Sindhavalan Karanam.
Activists highlight critical issues surrounding animal welfare and public health. They contend that marine parks compromise animal rights, creating environments that induce stress and abnormal behaviors in captive species.
Water scarcity, disease risks, and animal rights violations
Another key concern is disease transmission risks. The proposed ‘touch pools’ for interactive experiences can further exacerbate the risk of spreading infections among animals and visitors. “Constant handling and harassment of marine animals in touch tanks may compromise animal health by damaging their protective mucous layers and introducing harmful bacteria. Moreover, fish, with the potential presence of atypical mycobacteria, Vibrio species, Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae, and various gram-negative bacteria, and turtles as carriers of salmonella, also pose a risk of spreading infections to humans,” explains N Pravallika, Environmentalist.
Wildlife conservation experts point out that most specimens in such facilities are sourced from wild populations. Nearly all marine fish captured for aquarium trade reportedly die within a year of capture. Activists emphasize that captive breeding programs often fail, stressing wild populations. Explaining further, Pravalika said, “Nearly all marine fish caught for the aquarium trade die within a year of capture. Confining animals in artificial environments disrupts their well-being, deviating from their natural habitats. This deviation, combined with the absence of species-specific behaviors and the presence of unnatural stress, can deteriorate their physical and mental health.”
Public safety remains another concern. Interactions between visitors and wild animals inherently carry risks of attacks or accidents, despite safety protocols.
The matter came up for hearing in Telangana High Court on Monday. The High Court gave two weeks time for the state to file the counter. The counsel Sree Ramya representing the petitioners urged the court to fix an early date for hearing and implead the Central government.
