The Xiaomeisha Sea World aquarium in China sparked outrage among visitors by displaying a whale shark during its reopening earlier this month, which turned out to be a robot.
After five years of renovations, tourists expected to see different species, especially the colossal marine mammal. However, upon entering the enclosure, they noticed that what they believed to be a whale shark was a mechanically controlled robot.
Faced with the discontent of visitors, the aquarium argued that its decision to opt for a robot instead of a real specimen was not to deceive, but rather to offer an ethical alternative.
The marine center added that the trade in whale sharks is prohibited in China for conservation reasons, so using a robot would allow them to display the animal without breaking the regulations.
Despite the statement, Internet users commented that they would rather not see “any” than see a fake animal.
This altercation joins other controversies in Chinese tourist attractions, such as the case of the Taizhou Zoo, which exhibited “pandas” that turned out to be painted chow chow dogs.