Chinese aquarium slammed for using fake whale shark

Visitors to the newly opened Xiaomeisha Ocean World in Shenzhen, China, are furious after discovering that its star attraction — a whale shark — was a robot.

The aquarium, which opened on Oct. 1 following a five-year renovation, reportedly attracted over 100,000 visitors during National Day week. However, many were outraged to learn that the much-hyped whale shark was mechanical, with obvious gaps in its structure. “I’m speechless about the fake whale shark. I really want to report and ban this place,” one visitor wrote in a review. Meanwhile, others demanded refunds.

Despite being marketed as a conservation effort, the fake attraction left many disappointed. “Even though it’s for the sake of animal protection, I’d rather they didn’t have one at all than show a fake one,” another said.

The move, however, was praised by California-based animal rights group In Defense of Animals, which said it “represents a promising shift towards humane marine entertainment.”

This is not the first time a Chinese zoo used fake animals: last month, one in Guangdong province came clean after it passed off two painted Chow Chows as “panda dogs.” Another in Jiangsu province pulled the same stunt earlier this year.