| The Straits Times ST Forum Jul 31, 2010 |
| MY MOTHER is visiting Singapore and has had a very enjoyable few weeks being out and about every day, taking in the wonderful sights and sounds that the city has to offer. However, recently, she had, in her words, 'one of the worst experiences of her life' when she visited the Live Turtle and Tortoise Museum of Singapore. Many of the tortoises were displayed alone in very confined spaces on bare concrete floors without access to food or water. One of the museum's highlights is an 82-year-old tortoise that is sadly destined to spend the rest of its life - potentially another 118 years - confined to a concrete tank, without seeing another tortoise. The turtles are treated no better, cruelly displayed in stark tanks without space to swim - an inexcusable confinement for these beautiful creatures. In the words of the museum's website, 'it is a common Chinese belief that turtles and tortoises represent longevity and good fortune' - but that definitely isn't the case for any of the unfortunate animals kept at this facility. There should be no place in modern, vibrant Singapore for this morally reprehensible, exploitative 'tourist attraction' that harms the international reputation of the city. Isn't it time for the Government to intervene? Russell Eley |
You can write to the museum at sales@turtle-tortoise.com
