QUESTIONS have been raised over the number of deaths of marine life at Scarborough Sea Life centre.

Figures obtained by the BBC via Freedom of Information requests showed that there were 965 deaths at the Scarborough centre in 2016, which was also about a third of its entire animal stock.

This placed Scarborough second highest in mortality figures for eight Sealife Centres across the country - with Great Yarmouth topping the table.

Conservationist have expressed their concern, however the company behind Sea Life centres, Merlin Entertainments, said the “unusually high” mortality figure for Scarborough was a “formatting error”, and that the true total for 2016 was 590.

The company said Scarborough had “one of the most experienced and skilled displays teams”, with high standards of fish husbandry and successful programmes for rescuing and rehabilitating grey and common seal pups and breeding Humboldt penguin colonies.

Scarborough Borough Council said it was now looking at the discrepancies in the figures.

Jonathan Bramley, the council’s environment and regulation manager, said: “We have this week been informed by Scarborough Sea Life centre that there were discrepancies in the figures supplied to us.

“This does raise concerns, because incorrect stock figures, in effect, invalidate compliance with Defra guidelines.”

Merlin said that the high figures recorded for the Great Yarmouth Sealife Centre - 812 deaths out of 2,293 animals - were down to a “technically complex” water problem.

However, biologist Dr Ben Garrod, an ambassador for the MCS, said he was was “shocked” by the figures obtained by the BBC.

He said: “You wouldn’t go into hospital and expect a one-in-three chance of dying.

“You wouldn’t expect that in a zoo.”

“I don’t think it is acceptable.”

A Sea Life spokesman said: “Sea Life places the very highest priority on the welfare of the animals at its sites, which are supported by experienced animal care teams, marine biologists and world-renowned veterinary consultants.

“Sea Life has a strong track record in animal husbandry and complies with all the laws and regulations under the Zoo Licensing Act.”