Chilling Video: Angry dolphin attacks trainer during a show
In an extremely shocking incident, a dolphin attacked its trainer and thrashed her in front of a crowd at the Miami Seaquarium. A video of the unfortunate incident, which happened on Saturday, is getting traction on Twitter and has also been uploaded by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals or PETA.
The video shows the dolphin going rogue and sidetarcking from its regular choreography to attack one of its trainers - violently pushing her many times as the trainer makes an attempt to escape.
As maintained by the New York Post, the video of the incident was actually recorded by photographer Shannon Carpenter, who was present at the show. The video displays the dolphin pouncing at the trainer swimming in the water. The trainer, on the other hand, can be seen frantically swimming for the edge of the pool and lifting herself out. Seconds into the video, two other performers are seen coming to check on the trainer, who was later taken away from the sprawling oceanarium by ambulance.
Watch video here:
BREAKING: This chilling video shows a dolphin attacking a trainer, tossing her body violently through the water, & reportedly sending her to the hospital.
— PETA (@peta) April 12, 2022
Time is up for @MiamiSeaquarium—it must send the animals to seaside sanctuaries! pic.twitter.com/YN27DGygZe
According to the Post, the trainer did not suffer any serious injuries. In a statement, park officials said that the dolphin, named ‘Sundance', became frightened after running into the trainer. "This was an uncomfortable interaction for both of them and the dolphin reacted by breaking away from the routine and striking the trainer," the statement said.
Now, the horrifying incident has raised questions about the ethics of keeping dolphins in captivity and making them perform for audiences at facilities like the one in Miami. The Dolphin Project, a non-profit organisation for dolphins, also said that the incident has underlined the fact that dolphins and other whales do not like being in captivity. It added that keeping dolphins in captivity poses “inherent risks” for both dolphins and trainer.
In the meantime, it is to mention that this is not the first time that the Miami Seaquarium has come under focus. As per The Independent, the facility ran afoul of the US Department of Agriculture when government officials discovered many animal welfare breaches at the oceanarium during a look over last year.
PETA has also taken legal action against the facility claiming that Lolita, a 56-year-old orca whale, lives in the “smallest orca tank in the world” and has been unable to swim any meaningful distance.
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First published: 13 April 2022, 16:56 IST