I visited Aquaworld respecting its rescue mission and the staff’s passion, but left with serious concerns about animal welfare, enclosure conditions, and overcrowding.

The facility is small yet houses too many animals, including large species whose complex needs clearly aren’t being met. A mature Pacu, an active fish over 70 cm, was confined to a tank far too small for its natural movement, and shared it with several other fish, further limiting space and increasing stress. A blind green sea turtle was kept in a shallow, open-topped tank with a constant circular current it drifted through. Sea turtles are built for long-distance ocean swimming, not confinement in tight, artificial spaces, especially not one with disorienting movement and no escape from visitor attention.

Reptile enclosures were even more concerning. A large Anaconda was kept in a bare, cramped tank with no space to stretch or submerge other than a bucket it was in. Other large constrictors, like a Boa and an Albino Burmese Python, were similarly confined. Most tanks had carpeted flooring, no hides, climbing areas, or substrate—failing to meet even basic needs for thermoregulation, shelter, or natural behaviour.

Even in the aquatic section, enclosure standards varied—moray eels had pipes to hide in, while a solitary Conger eel had no shelter at all, despite being a species that naturally seeks cover.

Although interactive experiences with iguanas and snakes may support funding, the venue is too small to cope with large crowds. Two staff members were present in the free-roaming areas, but there was little active intervention, and overhandling was still occurring. We saw children grabbing tortoises and free-roaming iguanas with minimal supervision, posing risks for both the animals and the visitors. This lack of control adds unnecessary stress to animals already in compromised environments.

To align with basic welfare standards, Aquaworld must reduce the number of animals it keeps, expand and improve enclosures, stop housing wide-ranging species it cannot accommodate, and better control visitor impact, potentially through timed entry or modest fee increases to support critical upgrades.

Aquaworld’s mission is commendable, but good intentions aren’t enough. Rescue must mean rehabilitation and wellbeing—not permanent confinement in inadequate conditions.