BEIJING – Visitors to a new aquarium in China were left furious this week after discovering one of its top aquatic stars is a robot, despite it being marketed as such.

       Xiaomeisha Ocean World in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, opened on Oct 1 but was quickly slammed for its high prices, long queues and poor conditions for its marine life.

       Much of the criticism centred on the star attraction: a “mechanised whale shark”.

       Photos of the shark showed joints in the body where parts of the robot had been joined together.

       On the online review platform Dazhong Dianping, users flooded the aquarium’s page with negative comments.

       “I’m speechless about the fake whale shark. I really want to report and ban this place,” one visitor wrote.

       “Why are they using fake props as fish?” read another review.

       By signing up, I accept SPH Media's Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy as amended from time to time.

       “Are they trying to trick children?”

       The park, which charges around 240 yuan (S$44) for adult tickets, has a rating of just 2.9 out of 5 stars on the popular review platform.

       Many social media users posted under the hashtag “Netizens complain about spending hundreds of yuan at Xiaomeisha Sea World to see fake fish”.

       In response, the park said whale sharks are not allowed to be traded and keeping a real one in captivity would be cruel, while the robot is meant to raise awareness for protecting the species, local media reported.

       Inside the park, a sign introducing the robot shark read that it intends to “inspire everyone to understand the animals and their environment” and “with the aim of protecting the ecological environment”.

       Local media reported that more than 100,000 people visited the park during a seven-day national holiday in the first week of October.

       This is not the first time an animal park in China has drawn attention for using fakes.

       In May, Taizhou Zoo in coastal Jiangsu province went viral after it dyed two Chow Chow dogs black and white to make them resemble pandas.

       A zoo in Shanwei, Guangdong admitted to the same stunt in September.

       Last year, Hangzhou Zoo in eastern Zhejiang province was forced to deny that a sun bear was a human in a costume after a video of the animal standing on its hind legs aroused suspicion online. AFP