ALBAWABA - When Xiaomeisha Sea World in Shenzhen reopened after a five-year renovation, visitors flocked to see its star attraction: a whale shark, the world's largest fish. However, the excitement quickly turned to disappointment as park-goers discovered the "deep sea" deception – the massive creature was actually a robot.
The 645,000-square-foot ocean zoo attracted around 100,000 visitors during its week-long dry run, with each paying about $40 for entry. Many felt cheated upon realizing the advertised marine marvel was a mechanical replica. Photos revealed obvious segmentation in the robot's torso, reminiscent of a low-budget movie prop.
Outraged visitors took to social media to voice their frustrations. One complained, "The venue isn't large enough, and even the whale shark is artificial. By 3 o'clock, people were already demanding refunds." Another expressed disappointment on Xiaohongshu: "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."
Xiaomeisha representatives defended their decision, stating that the multi-million yuan robotic shark was not meant to deceive but to comply with laws prohibiting the whale shark trade. However, this explanation did little to appease disgruntled visitors, with one stating, "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."
Concerns were also raised about the park's live exhibits, with some visitors noting signs of poor fish health, including white spot disease in some tanks.
This incident adds to a growing list of controversies surrounding animal exhibitions in China, including recent cases of zoos painting dogs to resemble pandas due to the absence of actual pandas in their collections.
