Visitors feel cheated as Chinese aquarium’s ‘whale shark’ turns out to be a robot | Viral News

Viral News

Visitors to a Chinese aquarium were outraged they found out that the star attraction was actually a robot.

Shenzhen: A Chinese aquarium faced backlash from visitors after its highly-anticipated giant shark was revealed to be a robot. The incident occurred at Xiaomeisha Sea World in Shenzhen, which reopened on October 1 after a five-year renovation.

During a week-long dry run, the 645,000-square-foot ocean zoo drew around 100,000 visitors, each paying approximately $40 for entry, according to Jam Press. Many were eager to see the main attraction, a whale shark — the world’s largest fish, capable of growing over 60 feet long.

Fake whale shark

However, visitors were disappointed to discover that the “whale shark” was actually a mechanical replica. Photos taken through the tank show the robotic shark, with visible gaps where its segments were connected, reminiscent of a low-budget movie prop.

Furious with the deception, visitors flooded Xiaomeisha Sea World with online criticism. One visitor complained that the aquarium was too small and even the whale shark was fake. Another visitor expressed disappointment on the social media platform Xiaohongshu, saying they had high hopes for the whale shark exhibit but were let down by the mechanical version of the fish.

In response to the outcry, representatives from Xiaomeisha Sea World explained that the robot shark, which cost millions of Chinese yuan to create, was introduced to comply with laws prohibiting the trade of whale sharks. However, this explanation did little to ease the frustration.

One critic said that while they appreciated the focus on animal protection, they would have preferred no exhibit at all over a fake shark. They also raised concerns about the aquarium’s live animal displays, noting that some fish appeared to be suffering from “white spot disease”. They further added that some of the fish didn’t appear to be in good health.

Next Article