The robotic whale shark was presented to visitors as though it was real Credit: Jam
A Chinese aquarium closed for more than five years reopened only for visitors to find out that its signature and highly touted whale shark was actually a giant aquatic robot.
Xiaomeisha Sea World in Shenzhen reopened on October 1st following its extensive renovation, with the 645,000sq ft animal attraction drawing around 100,000 visitors in its first week.
With the aquarium touting the 60ft whale shark as its star attraction, visitors were surprised to find a robotic alternative swimming inside the main tank.
Photography posted on Chinese social media show the robot, very obviously not the real deal, with large gaps in its skin exposing its inner workings.
Visitors have also complained about the condition of the aquarium’s live fish, with multiple accounts of white spots on the marine creatures, indicating white spot disease, also known as Ich, which is a parasitic disease that affects fish and can eventually kill them.
According to visitors, “by three o’clock, people were already demanding refunds”.
The aquarium has hit back at visitor complaints, saying the robot, which cost millions of Chinese yuan to build and is an advanced piece of technology, was not built to dupe visitors, but to adhere to Chinese law. Whale shark hunting as well as the sale and export of products are banned in China, which has signed the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).
Campaign group In Defense of Animals, meanwhile, has praised what it called a forward-thinking alternative.
“In Defense of Animals is thrilled to see Xiaomeisha Sea World taking a step toward more compassionate entertainment with its animatronic whale shark,” said Hannah Williams, Cetacean consultant for In Defense of Animals. “We hope this move encourages people to reconsider why they feel entitled to see live marine animals in confinement”.
The robotic whale shark was presented to visitors as though it was real Credit: Jam
A Chinese aquarium closed for more than five years reopened only for visitors to find out that its signature and highly touted whale shark was actually a giant aquatic robot.
Xiaomeisha Sea World in Shenzhen reopened on October 1st following its extensive renovation, with the 645,000sq ft animal attraction drawing around 100,000 visitors in its first week.
With the aquarium touting the 60ft whale shark as its star attraction, visitors were surprised to find a robotic alternative swimming inside the main tank.
Photography posted on Chinese social media show the robot, very obviously not the real deal, with large gaps in its skin exposing its inner workings.
Visitors have also complained about the condition of the aquarium’s live fish, with multiple accounts of white spots on the marine creatures, indicating white spot disease, also known as Ich, which is a parasitic disease that affects fish and can eventually kill them.
According to visitors, “by three o’clock, people were already demanding refunds”.
The aquarium has hit back at visitor complaints, saying the robot, which cost millions of Chinese yuan to build and is an advanced piece of technology, was not built to dupe visitors, but to adhere to Chinese law. Whale shark hunting as well as the sale and export of products are banned in China, which has signed the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).
Campaign group In Defense of Animals, meanwhile, has praised what it called a forward-thinking alternative.
“In Defense of Animals is thrilled to see Xiaomeisha Sea World taking a step toward more compassionate entertainment with its animatronic whale shark,” said Hannah Williams, Cetacean consultant for In Defense of Animals. “We hope this move encourages people to reconsider why they feel entitled to see live marine animals in confinement”.
