China’s Jiaomeisha Sea World Aquarium is facing widespread criticism after it was discovered that its prized whale shark exhibit is actually a robotic replica. After a five-year renovation, the aquarium reopened on October 1, attracting 100,000 visitors eager to see the world’s largest fish. However, excitement soon turned to disappointment as visitors discovered that the ‘whale shark’ was a mechanical imitation. New York Post Informed. Photos showed obvious seams and gaps in the fake shark, sparking outrage among park-goers who paid $40 to see the real attraction.
Visitors to the site were furious over the fake shark and demanded their money back, flooding social media with complaints. “The workplace isn’t big enough, and even the whale shark is artificial, by 3pm, people were already demanding refunds,” one user wrote.
Another commented, “The most disappointing part was the whale shark exhibit. When I heard the name, I was filled with anticipation, but when I arrived, I saw a mechanical whale shark. Even though it’s for animal conservation, I’d rather they didn’t have one than show a fake. It’s not interesting at all.”
Xiaomeisha Sea World responded to the controversy by clarifying that the purpose of the robotic whale shark was not to deceive visitors, but to comply with laws prohibiting the capture and trade of whale sharks.
Notably, the whale shark (Rhincodon typus) is the largest known living fish species. Reaching remarkable lengths, the largest confirmed whale shark measured 18 meters in length. To create a replica of this majestic creature, Xiaomeisha Seaworld invested millions of Chinese yuan.
China has faced similar controversies in the past over animal exhibits and fraud. The incident of dogs being spray-painted to look like pandas sparked widespread outrage and raised concerns about animal welfare and ethics. The incident happened at Taizhou Zoo in China’s Jiangsu province, which opened to visitors on May 1 to see the new animals.
The zoo advertised the attraction “Xiong Mao Quan”, which translates as “panda dog”, to increase its visitor numbers during the May Day holiday. according to New York Post, Zoo officials cut the hair of two chow dogs and painted their faces black to resemble miniature pandas. The painted dogs were put on display every day between 8 am and 5 pm, where large numbers of tourists gathered to see them.
Despite their resemblance to giant pandas, some observers observed strange behavior, such as head shaking. There was widespread outrage when visitors realized they were looking at chow-chow dogs instead of pandas. Many criticized zoo officials for animal cruelty and deception.