Celebrities and protestors unite to ‘Free the 15’
Chris Packham, Megan McCubbin, Feargal Sharkey and Dale Vince joined crowds of protesters to call for the release of penguins at SEA LIFE London Aquarium.
Protestors outside SEA LIFE London
On Sunday 19 October 2025, Born Free joined Freedom for Animals and the Daily Express to host a peaceful protest at SEA LIFE London, calling for the 15 gentoo penguins kept in a windowless basement, without daylight and fresh air, to be given a better life.
Naturalist and broadcaster Chris Packham CBE, environmental campaigner and musician Feargal Sharkey, conservationist and wildlife presenter Megan McCubbin, and green energy entrepreneur Dale Vince addressed the crowds, who were carrying placards demanding that SEA LIFE ‘Free the 15!”
The campaign demands that Merlin Entertainments, the owners of SEA LIFE Aquarium London, rehome the penguins to a facility that can provide a better environment for these unique and complex animals.
The protest was the largest show of public support yet for the ‘Free The 15!’ campaign, which has already secured 15,000 petition signatures and cross-party political backing.
Chris Packham said, “It’s heartbreaking to think that these remarkable penguins, birds built for icy seas and vast skies, are confined to a windowless London basement. Penguins don’t belong in prisons. Today, we’ve sent a message loud and clear; the public will not accept the exploitation of animals for profit under the guise of entertainment. It’s time to ‘Free the 15!’”
Celebrity speakers at the Free the 15 protest
Some of the 15 penguins, including Polly and Ratchet, once experienced the outdoors but have endured 14 years underground. Others, like Gilbert and Ziggy, have never seen the sky.
Environmental campaigner & musician Feargal Sharkey added, “Just as we fight for our rivers, we must fight for wildlife. These penguins are denied the most basic of freedoms, light, air, space. It’s shameful, it’s unnecessary, and it must end. Seeing so many people here today gives me hope that their voices will finally be heard.”
Gentoo penguins are the fastest swimmers and one of the deepest diving penguin species. In the wild, they can reach speeds of 22mph and dive to depths of over 600ft. Yet, at SEA LIFE London, their pool is just 6–7 feet deep – a fraction of the space they need to thrive.
Green energy entrepreneur and environmental campaigner Dale Vince said, “Locking penguins in a basement is the very opposite of conservation. It teaches us nothing about nature or how to respect it. It is simply cruelty, marketed as family fun. Today, proves the public are ready for change, and as a business Merlin must listen and act. These fifteen penguins deserve a life, not a life sentence.”
We are calling on Merlin Entertainments to:
- End its penguin breeding programmes
- Permanently stop exhibiting penguins
- Guarantee the safe retirement of all penguins at SEA LIFE London to a more suitable environment
Will you help Free the 15?
You can add your voice to our campaign to free the 15 gentoo penguins at SEA LIFE London Aquarium, and find a more suitable environment for these unique and complex animals.