Dolphin viciously bites boy, 6, after mistaking hand for treat as he stood over pool – World News
A six-year-old boy was viciously bitten by a dolphin who mistook his tiny hand for a treat.
The little lad suffered deep lacerations to his hand after the scary incident, which occurred when was trying to pet the creature at a dolphinarium.
Footage of the bite shows the boy holding his palm above a pool at the Nemo tourist attraction, in Ukraine.
The dolphin jumps from the water and sinks its teeth into the little boy’s stretched hand, before he lets out a painful moan as the mammal lets go of his limb.
The victim was taken to hospital with deep cuts and doctors stitched his wounds
(Image: Трасса Е-95/Twitter)
According to the dolphinarium representatives, the dolphin was not hungry or aggressive.
They also added that the incident took place after visitors were warned not to approach the edge of the pool and put their hands in the water.
Olena Komogorova, the dolphinarium’s head trainer explained the dolphin’s behaviour to local media saying: ”A hand, stretched above the water, means that somebody offers a treat.”
The boy’s mother said her son held his hand above the water trying to stroke the dolphin.
Speaking with local media, the woman reportedly blamed herself for what happened and said she would not sue the aquarium.
The dolphinarium administration is planning to strengthen security measures following the incident, say local media.
(Image: Трасса Е-95/Twitter)
(Image: Трасса Е-95/Twitter)
It comes after reports quarter-tonne robot dolphins costing £18 million each could replace the animals in controversial sea life parks.
The 2.5-metre creations are clad in medical-grade silicone and can swim underwater and behave just like their real-life counterparts, even performing tricks for crowds.
The brainchild of an animatronic company which has made creatures for Hollywood blockbusters such as Free Willy, Deep Blue Sea, Avatar, Flipper and Anaconda it is hoped one day the innovation can help free the 3,000 ultra-intelligent mammals living in the multi-billion-pound captivity industry.
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Welfare organisation PETA posted pictures of incredibly realistic robot Delle swimming alongside children at the John C. Argue Swim Stadium, Los Angeles, The Sun reports.
The group said the technology could allow humans to experience and learn about dolphins without confiding them to concrete tanks.
