Shocking moment of dolphins performing shocks on the ground after jumping from the pool to the seating area – before being dragged back into their cage at the Belarusian aquarium
Shocking footage has emerged of an aquarium dolphin shaking on the ground after jumping out of his pool and landing in a seating area where people watched him perform.
The clip was shot at the Minsk Dolphinarium Nemo in Belarus and shows the helpless mammal lying on the floor of the auditorium next to the pool.
Other dolphins can be seen swimming in the tank, but they appear distraught, with three poking their heads out to look at their stranded friend.
Someone can be heard squealing in apparent distress as visitors to the entertainment center watch and film the disturbing scenes as the music continues to blare in the background.
A group of staff members then approach the sea creature and try to drag it back into the cage with a towel, while the crowd of parents and children gasp and cheer as they manage to put it back in the tank.
Shocking footage has emerged of an aquarium dolphin shaking on the ground after jumping from its pool into a seating area
Visitors to the entertainment center watch and film the disturbing scenes from their seats before a group approaches the mammal
One of the keepers falls into the pool with the dolphin as he pulls it over the edge, while another bows to the spectators.
While dolphins breathe oxygen, they are at risk of dying from overheating if they are out of the water for long periods of time.
It is not clear what led to the dolphin emerging from the water, although animal welfare charity Dolphin Project commented, citing cases of dolphins jumping out of their tanks.
A spokesperson for the charity said: ‘Abnormal behavior in dolphins, killer whales, belugas and other cetaceans in captivity has been documented numerous times – from extreme cases of jumping out of their tanks, to banging their heads against walls or fences, to lethargically floating around. longer periods of time.
‘These are just some of the many reasons why they do not belong in aquariums and marine parks.
“We aim to expose the problems these animals face in the captive trade and advocate for an end to this exploitation.”
Employees try to drag it back into the cage with a towel, while the crowd cheers as they get it back into the tank
The video, posted to TikTok last week, has sparked outrage online and has been viewed more than 45 million times.
One person commented: ‘What a cruel life for such beautiful creatures.’
Someone else added: ‘I’m sorry they don’t belong in captivity. Beautiful dolphins.’
One person said: ‘Dolphin shows must be stopped! They must live in the open ocean.”
‘Maybe a sign that these poor dolphins should not be caught!!!’ another viewer agreed.
Captive dolphins have a shorter lifespan than their wild counterpart, which can live more than 40 years.
According to World Animal Protection, the standard tank in a dolphinarium is about 200,000 times smaller than the natural space in which dolphins live.
It is estimated that around 3,000 dolphins are kept in captivity worldwide as part of the multi-billion dollar tourism industry.