MEDIA STATEMENT 7,000 Petition to stop uShaka Rave Nearly 7,000 people from all over the world

are petitioning uShaka Marine World in Durban to halt a rave planned for New Years Eve. The petition will be delivered to City Manager, Sibusiso Sithole, today. It was initiated after consultation with independent marine biologists about the possible harm that an event of this nature could cause to marine life at the facility. The theme park is a municipal-owned entity (MOE) that cost R750 million to build, and the petition follows on the deaths of two dolphins after a similar event at Connyland in Switzerland last year. The uShaka event, billed as the Bermuda Triangle is intended to have three staging areas and to feature 18 DJs. Advance publicity indicated that Progressive, Tech/House and Trance music would be featured on the deck of the Phantom Ship, which is situated at the centre of the park (see Map); that Commercial, Hip Hop and R&B would be featured in the same venues Cargo Hold, which looks directly onto the shark tank; and that Deep and Funky House would be featured at the Moyo Pier restaurant. The events were billed to last through the night, closing at 02:00, 03:00 and sunrise respectively. While these venues have previously been used for corporate events and private parties, it is the scale of the event planned for New Years Eve and the fact that it is scheduled to take place at the very heart of a marine park that has alarmed an ad hoc group of activists opposing the event. The 500-strong group includes representatives from established dolphin, shark and civil society advocacy groups. Activists have cited not only the Connyland incident as reason to move the event to another venue, but have posted a substantial body of evidence detailing the negative effects of loud noise and strobe lighting on captive cetaceans (whales dolphins and porpoises) and large fish such as sharks (see links below). Shortly after the protest gained traction late last week, the parties involved in organising and staging the event, including uShaka Marine World, Martin Mc Hale of XPR Events, and headline DJ Lisa Lashes began deleting posts and comments by activists from their Facebook pages. Online information about the event was also considerably altered. Further, news coverage of the protest, which appeared on Thursday 20 December, was followed the next day by a report that the event was to go ahead, and that it had been given the green light by the NSPCA. However, later the same day, the society denied that it had given the event its approval and stated on its Facebook page that, despite assurances given by the organisers, both the public and the NSPCA still had concerns about the rave (see attached screen shot). Activists have called on the NSPCA to support their request for the event to be moved to another venue, as the society actively promotes five freedoms for animals, including freedom from fear and distress, freedom to express normal behaviour and freedom to be free. This especially as, at the time of issue, there are no plans to have NSPCA officials on-site during the event to monitor its impact on the animals, and as no prior research has been done by the facility into the effect of events such as these on the parks marine animals. uShaka last week ignored several e-mails from activists, and was not prepared to engage on the possibility of moving the event to another venue. However, the CEO of the South African Association of Marine Biology Research, Judy Mann, made herself available for an initial meeting with a small

delegation on Saturday 22 December. The SAAMBR incorporates uShaka Sea World and the Oceanographic Research Institute. A further meeting with a full delegation from the activist group will take place on 27 December at 10:00, and it is hoped that Shawn Thompson, the CEO of uShaka Marine World will attend. A further statement will be issued immediately afterwards. Further information: 1. Information on ownership of uShaka and on infrastructure development costs (SAPA, 2009). 2. Effects of strobe lighting and sound behavioural deterrent system on impingement of aquatic organisms at Plant Barry, Alabama: http://www.ag.auburn.edu/fish/wpcontent/uploads/formidable/Baker_Jeffery_24.pdf 3. How do animals hear underwater?: http://www.dosits.org/resources/all/media/mediabackgrounder/ Note: The South African Association for Marine Biological Research (SAAMBR) incorporates uShaka Sea World and the Oceanographic Research Institute (ORI). Media Contacts: 1. Richard Patrick: Group Spokesperson - ramble@vodamail.co.za 2. Mia du Plessis: Petition Initiator mia@thesealsofnam.org 3. Sharon Doubell: Group Coordinator upwardspiral@iburst.co.za