An aquarium faced criticism after visitors realized that its “star whale shark,” a popular attraction, was actually a robot.
A new aquarium in China has caused a stir after visitors realized that its main attraction, a giant whale shark, is not real but a robot.
This revelation has upset many people who expected to see a living creature.
An aquarium launches a whale shark show to attract more visitors
The Xiaomeisha Sea World, located in Shenzhen, recently opened its doors after a five-year renovation.
The aquarium covers a vast area of 645,000 square feet and welcomed around 100,000 visitors during its first week.
Each visitor paid about $40 to see the exhibits, hoping to experience the wonders of marine life.
Many guests were excited to see the whale shark, known as the largest fish in the world. These magnificent creatures can grow over 60 feet long.
Visitors furious after discovering “star whale shark” was actually a robot
However, the excitement quickly turned to disappointment when people discovered that the shark swimming in the tank was a mechanical replica.
Photos taken by visitors showed the robot with visible gaps in its body, making it look less impressive.
As news spread about the robot shark, visitors took to social media to express their frustration.
One visitor shared their anger, stating, “By 3 o’clock, people were already demanding refunds.”
Many felt cheated, believing they had been misled about the aquarium’s main attraction.
Another visitor expressed disappointment on a social media platform, saying, “When I heard the name, I was full of anticipation,
but when I arrived, I saw a mechanical whale shark. It’s not interesting at all.”
This sentiment was echoed by others who had similar feelings about the aquarium’s star exhibit.
The aquarium representatives responded to the controversy
In response to the backlash, representatives from the aquarium explained that the robot was created to comply with laws that prohibit the trade of real whale sharks.
They emphasized that the purpose of the robotic shark was to promote animal protection.
However, this explanation did little to ease the anger of the visitors.
Many guests argued that it would have been better not to have a whale shark at all than to show a fake one.
One critic pointed out issues with the care of the live fish in the aquarium, mentioning that some fish appeared unhealthy.
This raised further concerns about the overall quality of the exhibits.
I’m very happy that it is a robot. Sharks do not fare well in captivity, only the ragged tooth shark which is docile is suitable for aquariums, one user said.
Large fish such as Whale Sharks should not be in a aquarium in the first place. Not often i think China has done something right, but this time they have, the second user commented.
This is on par with the Chinese zoo that had a dog painted as a panda and the person dressed as a bear, the third user said.
What is with these people; dogs painted to look like Pandas, now this. Why do they have to lie to visitors if they don’t have them? Another wrote.
Fake pandas, lions and tigers and now a fake whale shark, did Spielberg have a hand in this? Someone said.
The reaction to the robotic shark is not unique to this aquarium.
Earlier this year, other animal parks in China faced criticism for using painted dogs to resemble pandas, as they did not have real panda bears.
The trend of using replicas instead of real animals has upset many visitors.
It has also raised ethical questions about animal representation in zoos and aquariums.
Lawmakers and animal rights advocates have begun calling for changes in how such attractions operate.
They argue that visitors deserve to see genuine animals rather than mechanical versions.
The situation at Xiaomeisha Sea World has sparked a broader discussion about the responsibilities of aquariums and zoos to provide ethical and authentic experiences.
Despite the criticism, some experts argue that robotic exhibits can serve educational purposes.
They suggest that such technology can help raise awareness about marine life while protecting endangered species from exploitation.
However, many people feel that seeing a robot cannot replace the experience of observing a real animal in its environment.