Why are MPs talking about penguins?

A photo of one of the Gentoo penguins at Sea Life London Aquarium, issued by the campaign group Born Free

It might seem like an unexpected topic, but many UK Members of Parliament (MPs) have been raising concerns about a group of penguins at the Sea Life London Aquarium.

Seventy-five MPs have joined together to say the 15 Gentoo penguins, who live in an enclosure at the aquarium, are being kept in unfair conditions.

In a letter to Emma Reynolds, the government minister responsible for the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, they have asked her to "consider whether the penguins should be relocated to a more suitable facility".

Lots of the public have shared this feeling, with nearly 40,000 people signing a petition calling for them to be moved.

Merlin Entertainments, who own the Sea Life aquarium, told the BBC that the penguin enclosure is "carefully designed to reflect important elements of the penguins' natural environment".

What's the issue?

Many people are saying that the Gentoo penguins deserve better conditions

A group of ten Gentoo penguins were first brought to Sea Life London from Edinburgh Zoo back in 2011.

There are now 15 of them living at an enclosure in the aquarium, which is housed indoors.

Campaigners say that the penguins have no access to fresh air or daylight, that their living area is too small and their diving pool is too shallow.

The Antarctic and Southern Ocean Coalition list Gentoo penguins as having a diving depth of up to 80m when feeding.

Campaigners and MPs calling for change say that the depth of the penguins' pool at Sea Life, estimated to be around two metres, just isn't big enough.

What are campaigners saying?

The campaigners include presenter and naturalist Chris Packham, and his step-daughter, the zoologist Megan McCubbin

Campaigners want the penguins moved "to a facility that can provide a much more suitable environment".

David Taylor, one of the MPs writing to the government for change, said: "It's un-British to keep penguins trapped in a basement with no daylight or fresh air.

"No animal should live like that"

What does Merlin Entertainments say?

Sea Life London Aquarium is on London's South Bank

The owners of the Sea Life Aquarium, Merlin Entertainments, have pushed back against claims that the Gentoo penguins aren't being treated fairly.

A spokesperson told the BBC: "We know that many people care deeply about the Gentoo penguins at Sea Life London Aquarium - we do too."

The company argue that the setting they've created meet the standards of modern zoos and "provides an excellent balance of water and land for the penguins which enables them to express their normal behaviours and there is space for them to ensure they have sufficient privacy".

"We have an incredible team of conservationists, animal welfare specialists, and aquarists who are with the penguins every day, making sure they're healthy and thriving," the spokesperson added.