Ten animal welfare groups have united to urge Ocean Park to abandon its plan to catch wild white whales for public display.
The demand by the Asia for Animal Coalition follows news that the park had commissioned a survey of Hongkongers to see whether they supported the capture of the hump-headed creatures, also known as belugas.
The coalition has written to Ocean Park chairman Allan Zeman calling for the plan to be scrapped.
One of the 10 groups said that contrary to what park managers suggested, there was little evidence that public displays of live animals promoted people's knowledge of conservation. 'To decide the issue, it is necessary to weigh up the educational value of displaying the crowd-drawing belugas with the unnecessary suffering caused by their capture, transportation and long-term confinement,' the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals said.
It said a study in 2007 by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, of which Ocean Park is a member, did not show that visiting animal displays was educational for people or caused changes in their attitude. There were no statistically significant changes to people's knowledge after the visits.
However, Ocean Park quoted its own study, carried out in 2008, that found more than 80 per cent of visitors could recall the conservation message they learned. The park said animal exhibits from the polar regions could help raise public awareness on global climate change. 'Visitors can develop a greater respect for the animals and their habitats,' the park said yesterday.