The case of a robot shark in a marine park raises questions about animal welfare

Editors' notes

This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies. Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility:

fact-checked

trusted source

proofread

After five years of renovation, Shenzhen's Xiaomeisha Sea World finally opened its doors to the public. But the marine park soon found itself the object of international discussion as it was revealed their advertised real whale shark was actually a robot.

In fact, as visitors found, the whale shark turned out to be the first intelligent robotic whale shark—weighing in at 350kg and being able to swim, move around the tank and costing millions of Chinese yuan. Despite this notable technology, visitors were not impressed with the artificial nature of the shark.

The aquarium has since put out a public statement arguing that this whale shark was used due to the trade in live whale sharks being banned within China, and as such they could not have a live specimen within their aquarium.

This comes on the back of other recent controversial misrepresentations of wildlife in captivity, such as a Shanwei zoo admitting that their pandas were just painted dogs.

However, despite being claimed as "catfishing" by visitors, the use of this robot does help to continue important discussions surrounding the endangered nature of this megafauna species as well as the wider issue of animal welfare in aquariums.

Why are whale sharks protected?

Why is there a ban?

Whale sharks (Rhincodon typus) are the worlds largest fish species with the maximum size recorded of 18 meters total length.

A migratory megafauna which can be found in warmer climates and nearer the equator, evidence suggests that whale shark populations are in decline.

Whale sharks are listed as an endangered species and their decline is a multifaceted issue. They are being affected by ship collisions, bycatch, climate change, mining as well as illegal fishing for their meat and as a small component of shark fin trafficking.

Additionally, whale sharks have both late maturity and slow growth rates, meaning that population recovery would take a prolonged period of time. As a result of this, whale sharks are protected. They are listed as an appendix 2 species under the Convention of International Trade in Endangered Species, meaning trade in them must be regulated.

Additionally, many countries prohibit the fishing and trade of the species and its components, such as Indonesia, Mozambique, and India.

Animal welfare

The emergence of the robotic whale shark also helps to contribute to the ongoing dialogue regarding animal welfare issues in aquariums. Since the early 2000's, there has been increasing public awareness of animal welfare issues, which has resulted in some parks evaluating their treatment of species in these exhibitions.

Green criminology explores these concerns by considering potential breaches in criminal and regulatory legislation but also wider harms to these species not currently covered by law.

Documentaries such as Blackfish (2013) have helped to expose the reality of the poor conditions and treatments of animals, such as orcas in marine parks in the US, for example. Although there are valid criticisms and welfare issues with orcas in captivity, there were some positive steps such as the California Orca Protection Act.

Despite this, evidence globally suggests that both physical and psychological harm for animals in this exhibition industry is still commonplace. Examples such as beluga whales dying in Canadian marine parks, alleged animal abuse at south lakes safari zoo, as well as welfare concerns at a Chinese aquarium all point towards a global problem with animal welfare in this industry.

This abuse is often in violation of legislation and regulatory frameworks, yet problems persist due to enforcement measures continually being under resourced and overarchingly not fit for purpose.

Live whale sharks do exist in captivity within limited settings, for example, in the U.S. in the Georgia aquarium and several in Asia such as the Ocean kingdom whale shark exhibit in China. These species often feature in advertisements for the parks, with the species being seen as a popular attraction alongside other shark species.

It should be noted that arguments have been made about potential conservation benefits such as further research into the species and support for pro-conservation attitudes. However, limited information is known about their welfare and mortality rates, with concerns being raised about keeping a migratory species within captivity.

Similarly, concerns have been flagged about the potential for some of the marine species in captivity, including whale sharks, having been sourced via wildlife trafficking, which holds similarities to other species in captivity.

Overall, the introduction of a robotic whale shark into an aquarium, although controversial, can help engage wider audiences in conservation issues. Although misrepresenting a robot as a living whale shark is arguably unethical, anything which helps to create a space for public discussion on endangered species and animal welfare should be seen as a positive for overarching issues of species justice.

Provided by Nottingham Trent University