OCEAN THEME PARKS: China’s Growing Captive Cetacean Industry(2019–2024) CLICK HERE FOR CHINESE VERSION The 2015 CCA report identified 39 operational facilities and 14 facilities under construction. By 2019, 80 facilities were open and 27 were under construction. The rapid pace of development has since slowed down. By 2024, 101 facilities were open and 11 were […]
Chengdu Haichang Polar Ocean World, as well as the Qingdao, Tianjin, and Wuhan parks, were sold to the HHAn group in 2021. Despite the ownership change, the distinctive Haichang style signage and decoration were kept intact, as Haichang is a much more recognized and popular brand among visitors and online travel platforms. The buildings and […]
On 9 September 2021, a calf was born to Cookie, a female orca captured in the Sea of Okhotsk and held for display at Shanghai Haichang Ocean Park. An anonymous video, shared with China Cetacean Alliance, showed the moment this calf was born. Immediately after birth, the calf darted away from Cookie and nearly collided […]
VIEW ALL IMAGES FROM THE INVESTIGATION HERE This facility opened last summer (2019). It is not like other Haichang parks, which emphasize animal captivity and performance. This facility is more of an amusement park with a huge ferris wheel. The dolphins are outside, and so is the sea lion show. People have to walk in […]
VIEW ALL IMAGES FROM THE INVESTIGATION HERE It has been almost four years since CCA’s last visit to this facility. There are some new cages for South African fur seals. The tanks for pan-tropical spotted dolphins are the same except with fewer dolphins and more signs of wear and tear. The whale shark seen in […]
VIEW ALL IMAGES FROM THE INVESTIGATION HERE This aquarium is in the hotel, which gives it an advantage in Sanya’s hot weather. The public record shows that this facility has two beluga whales, six bottlenose dolphins and four Pacific white-sided dolphins. The two belugas are on exhibit, but the 10 dolphins, which are used for […]
China Cetacean Alliance investigation into Harbin Polar Land, China (September 2019) VIEW ALL IMAGES FROM THE INVESTIGATION HERE Harbin Polar Land was opened in 2006 and is owned by the Haichang group. CCA investigators first visited this facility in 2015 and there has been little change in the facility, the animal shows but there has […]
China Cetacean Alliance investigation into Harbin Poseidon Ocean Kingdom, China (September 2019) VIEW ALL IMAGES FORM THE INVESTIGATION HERE Harbin Poseidon OK is owned by KWZone group, a Malaysian company. This park was designed by Legacy Entertainment, and opened in 2017 but already looks old very dated. The Poseidon Ocean Kingdom is part of the […]
China Cetacean Alliance investigation into Shanghai Haichang Polar Ocean World, China (June 2019) VIEW ALL IMAGES FROM THE INVESTIGATION HEREPlease also see our video from this investigation HERE Shanghai Haichang Polar Ocean World opened more than six months ago. CCA investigators made a site visit in December 2018 with Dr. Ingrid Visser and returned with […]
China’s Grandview Polar Ocean World in Zhengjia Plaza shopping mall is a living hell for animals. (March 2018) VIEW ALL IMAGES FROM THE INVESTIGATION HERE Since the opening of the Grandview aquarium in early 2016, there have been numerous reports of large numbers of fish deaths, the mysterious disappearance of a whale shark (which is […]
China’s Zhuhai Chimelong Ocean Kingdom is an industry benchmark for the use and harm of animals. (March 2018) VIEW ALL IMAGES FROM THE INVESTIGATION HERE If you want to talk about animal welfare issues within the domestic aquarium industry then the Zhuhai Chimelong Ocean Kingdom is creating a new benchmark for how bad things can […]
China Cetacean Alliance investigation into Nanning Zoo, China (January 2018) VIEW ALL IMAGES FROM THE INVESTIGATION HERE Nanning Zoo is another typical city zoo in China with small enclosures, many animals and a lack of information boards or education materials. It holds a Chinese white dolphin (Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin) called Lao Bai who broke his […]
Animal welfare issues in three aquariums in Nanchang, China. Nanchang Wanda Aquarium | Nanchang Zoo | Nanchang Ocean Park (November 2017) Nanchang Wanda Aquarium *now called Nanchang Rongchuang Park VIEW ALL IMAGES FROM THE INVESTIGATION HERE In 2013, the Wanda Group announced that it would build the self-proclaimed “world’s largest aquarium” in Nanchang, Jiangxi. We […]
China Cetacean Alliance investigation into Beijing Aquarium, China (May 2017) VIEW ALL IMAGES FROM THE INVESTIGATION HERE Beijing Aquarium is a separate facility in Beijing Zoo; visitors have to purchase a separate ticket to enter. However, most people see the aquarium as a part of Beijing Zoo, which is a national zoo and has banned […]
China Cetacean Alliance investigation into Tianjin Haichang Polar Ocean World, China (May 2017) VIEW ALL IMAGES FROM THE INVESTIGATION HERE Tianjin Haichang Polar Ocean World opened in September 2010. It is located in a newly developed area in Tianjin, which is about two hours’ drive from Beijing. It is a popular choice among people both […]
China Cetacean Alliance investigation into Shenzhen Xiaomeisha Sea World, China (April 2017) VIEW ALL IMAGES FROM THE INVESTIGATION HERE Shenzhen Xiaomeisha Sea World, which opened in 1999, is a major attraction in Xiaomeisha Beach, Shenzhen city. The CCA’s investigation took place on a weekend and the facility was full of visitors, most of them school […]
China Cetacean Alliance investigation into Shenzhen Safari Park, China (April 2017) VIEW ALL IMAGES FROM THE INVESTIGATION HERE Shenzhen Safari Park was opened in 1993, the first zoo to have a large, “free range” enclosure in China. Shenzhen Safari Park is a scenic area and a highly rated tourist attraction. Shenzhen Ocean World, which houses […]
China Cetacean Alliance investigation into Fuzhou Luoyuanwan Polar Ocean World, China (March 2017) VIEW ALL IMAGES FROM THE INVESTIGATION HERE Fuzhou Luoyuanwan Polar Ocean World opened in February 2015. Luoyuanwan is a newly built satellite city close to Fuzhou, but it is a ghost town as the population is still quite small. Previous news about […]
China Cetacean Alliance investigation into Wuyishan Tianhong Polar Ocean World, China (March 2017) VIEW ALL IMAGES FROM THE INVESTIGATION HERE The Wuyishan Tianhong Polar Ocean World only opened in July 2016 but already looks old and run down. It has been built for selling the surrounding real estate programs. Wuyishan is a small city in […]
Dr.Naomi A. Rose visited 3 typical aquariums (Chimelong Ocean Kingdom, Grandview Aquarium and Haichang Polar Ocean World-Chengdu) in China mainland during 4th-7th December 2016.