Stories1 min(s) read
Published 15:47 26 Jun 2020 GMT
A Chinese animal trainer has been accused of animal cruelty after climbing on top of a Beluga whale at an aquatic park.
In footage of the incident, which was posted to the Chinese social network Weibo, the man can be seen riding the whale before falling off into the water.
Animal lovers responded to the clip with outrage, calling on an end to performances like this one - the traumatic effects of which were laid bare in the 2013 documentary Blackfish.
However, the animal park was quick to respond to critics of the footage, saying that interactions like the one featured were a common and legal part of their shows.
Watch the controversial clip below:
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The Daily Mail reports that the clip was uploaded to social media by a worker at the Luoyuanwan Sea World in Fuzhou, Fujian province, but it went viral after it was shared by an animal welfare account that slammed the aquarium's treatment of the whale.
The account captioned the clip: "[He] often flaunts himself standing on top of the beluga whales by posting videos on a live-streaming platform.
"[The videos] have extremely terrible social impact and [we] hope relevant departments pay close attention."
One critic commented on the footage, writing: "Reject animal performance! This is imprisonment and cruelty towards animals!"
Another said: "Whales and dolphins are supposed to live in the sea but are now confined in small prisons. They are forced to perform and work for aquariums every day. It's all cruelty and torture!"
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In an interview with Pear Video, a spokesperson from the aquarium said: "We do have performances with dolphins and beluga whales. They are interactive.
"[Trainers] might dance with them under the water or stand on top of them to demonstrate the strength [of the animals].
"We are a legit company and our animal keeping is legal."
The charity People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has been calling for an end to the use of marine animals for entertainment in parks and aquariums for years.
PETA describes marine/aquatic parks on its website as "part of a billion-dollar industry built on the suffering of intelligent social beings who are denied everything that's natural and important to them".
