Petition against Lisbon Oceanarium being privatized
As the Government is taking clear steps towards the concession of Portugal’s most visited cultural site, Parque das Nacoes Parish Council President seeks to do the impossible to prevent this train of action and has issued an online petition against Lisbon Oceanarium being privatized.
The privatization of the Oceanarium would bring 40 million Euro into the pockets of the state, which is not an issue to be ignored. Nevertheless, voices such as President Jose Moreno fight to maintain the institution in the public domain. The online petition has already gathered some 1600 signatures and will remain on the Internet.
Those against the privatization decision – which was made public on April 16th – claim that the Government never attended any of the motions which had been approved by the Municipal Assembly opposing the concession of the Oceanarium. According to the President, Turismo de Lisboa in collaboration with the University and the Municipal Chamber had expressed interest in assuming the management and maintenance of the equipment, as well as the functions of the institutions. Nevertheless, the Government remains set on the concession of the Oceanarium.
Built in Parque das Nacoes at the Expo `98, the Lisbon Oceanarium has received over a million visitors each year ever since it was opened in 1998. It houses an outstanding collection of marine life, from penguins and sea birds to seahorses, sharks, octopuses, snails and mollusks and crustaceans.
There are four main tanks displaying diverse habitats: Antarctic, Temperate Pacific, North Atlantic and Tropical Indian. Apart from these, there are 25 other thematic aquariums to admire.
Among the stars of the Lisbon Oceanarium, there are sunfish, spider crabs and a couple of sea otters called Amalia and Eusebio.
One of the largest in the world, the Lisbon Oceanarium can be found at the heart of Lisbon city and is a must see in any Lisbon tour.
