"As far as we know there is no permit issued from the CITES office in Dubai," said the CITES-linked source.
"This hotel for example, has the right to rescue an animal but they need a permit to keep it and they have to inform the authorities. The whole country knows there is a whale shark at this hotel but we have not been officially made aware of it."
Also reported on deeper blue
Although it was initially reported that the shark would only be kept until it had recovered from an unspecified medical problem, Mr Leibman Atlantis Managing Director said there were no plans to release it. In "Dubai’s new dream hotel has a nightmare opening week" in the National newspaper, he says “I’m not sure where that statement came from,” he said.
He has also told 7 days “We have probably the most talented marine science people in the industry monitoring it and making sure it is well.”
Ibrahim Al-Zu’bi, environmental advisor for Emirates Diving Association, says he has seen the whale shark and believes it should be put back into the Arabian Gulf. “It should be tagged and released, the sooner the better,” he told 7DAYS. “I know Atlantis is under pressure at the moment because they have only just opened, but we’ve been told they would release the whale shark. “They are using it for educational awareness. But they will have to release it because it can grow up to more than ten metres - it’s common sense.”
Other links to the whale shark in Dubai
- Dubai resort with dolphins and whale shark opens
- Dubai’s new dream hotel has a nightmare opening week The National 4 Oct 08
- Dubai resort with dolphins and whale shark opens
Dubai ups ante with $1.5B hotel on palm island
Adam Schreck and Barbara Surk, Associated Press 22 Sep 08; - Whale shark in Atlantis hotel aquarium to be released
Emmanuelle Landais,Gulf News 9 Sep 08; - Atlantis, the palm continues marine leadership with rescue of whale shark Al Bawaba 10 Sep 08
- SPCA stands up for whale sharks at Sentosa
- Whale shark at Sentosa: some recent comments
- Whale shark at Sentosa: thin edge of the wedge
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