A park as big and spectacular as manila ocean park invites criticism from some quarters. Is it a step towards helping educate the masses on environmental preservation or is it in itself, a form of exploitation? The partnership forged by the WWF (World Wildlife Fund, not the World Wrestling Federation) with Manila Ocean Park may have raised not a few eyebrows. But the latest issue of WWF's newsletter shed light on the organization's decision. As a WWF member, I feel compelled to share this snippet with this blog's readers. The Philippines is after all, an important part of the Coral Triangle (with Malaysia, Indonesia and the Pacific islands), the most productive source of marine biodiversity in the world and home to the largest number of marine species in the world. Aquariums and oceanariums like Manila Ocean Park are in a unique position to provide conservation in a genuinely integrated way.A nd for young people of the world's cities, zoos and aquariums are often the first contact with nature. Public awareness campaigns and communications programs are crucial to letting the public aware that nature is both utilitarian and aesthetic. Information taken from wwf's biota, jan-feb 2008 issue
