Keeping an animal in an aquarium benefits its species only if the exhibition is educational and visitors are made aware of the vulnerability of the species. Our primary concern is that the Atlantis resort acts in the animal’s best interests, and that the proceeds go towards raising that awareness. Whale sharks are a migratory species: they are highly vulnerable. They mature late and give birth to few young, and their numbers have been attacked, particularly by fisheries. They eat plankton, so they have a specialist diet and require specialist attention. They have been kept in aquariums more or less successfully depending on the environment. So it can be done, at least to an extent.

But whale sharks are the largest fish in the sea. They can grow up to a length of more than 15m. They go on long-distance, long-term migrations of up to 8,000 miles over 37 months. And that is not there and back, that is just in one direction.

In the wild their hoovering up of prey on the surface makes them very vulnerable to fisheries, and their fins can each fetch as much as $20,000, which makes them an extremely lucrative target for less scrupulous fishermen. There is protection for the species – whale sharks have been cited under the Convention of International Trade in Endangered Species – but it is very difficult to stop illegal poaching.

At the Shark Trust we have been engaged with Sammy’s story since she was rescued. The Environment Minister in the United Arab Emirates said that she would be released – and we would applaud the release of Sammy back to the wild, provided that she was in a healthy state that would ensure her longevity.

Ali Hood is director of conservation at the Shark Trust

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