I was quite impressed by Qingdao’s Underwater World aquarium. But the other big aquarium in Qingdao, Polar Ocean World, was a depressing example of poor animal care. All of the habitats were overcrowded; none of the animals had enough room; and many of the sea mammals were visibly obese. They still engaged in trained animal performances (we saw one of their walruses at the mall the next day) and visitors could pay to feed the animals (which may partly account for the obesity).
My 10-year-old daughter didn’t notice. As much as I wanted to educate her about animal welfare, the purpose of our trip was to instill a sense of pride and belonging in her birth culture. So I kept most of my concerns to myself.
But this sad picture of a polar bear, with condensation dripping down the glass of its too-small enclosure like tears, is how I remember this animal prison disguised as an amusement park.
