As a conservationist and advocate for animal welfare, I firmly believe that every creature deserves to live in conditions that reflect their natural habitat. The recent outcry over the captivity of 15 Gentoo Penguins at London’s Sea Life Aquarium underscores the urgent need for a re-evaluation of how we treat animals in captivity.  Having witnessed the majesty of Gentoo Penguins in their natural environment during my travels to Antarctica when I was 13, I can confirm the stark contrast between their vibrant, dynamic lives in the wild where they live in huge colonies and the reputedly confined conditions they endure in captivity in London.  These intelligent and social creatures belong in the vast expanses of the ocean and the ice packs alongside, not in a cramped enclosure where their natural behaviours are stifled. While I do not oppose the concept of zoos and aquariums outright, I firmly believe that if they are to exist, they have a responsibility to provide suitable conditions for the animals under their care with strategic plans to find suitable homes …