Being such playful , charismatic , and gumptious fauna , it ’s prosperous to understand why humanity are so charmed bydolphins . However , their social demeanour and remarkable intelligence are precisely the reason why these fauna are n’t suited to life in captivity . fortuitously , if you ’ve always yearn to get up close and personal with these wonderful animals but felt virtuously obligated to abstain from doing so , a limited effects company in America may have do up with the gross solution .

In 2020 , Edge Innovations bring us theanimatronic dolphinas an ethical choice to swim with bouncy cetaceans . Now , a follow - up study has divulge just what mass think of this robot look - alike .

The study participants were third - year university pupil admit a course on tourism and animal ethic . In phase one of the experiment , two hypothetic scenario were presented to the 15 bookman : either swimming and interact with a real - animation dolphin , or swim and interact with the animatronic version .

Ten participant picked the real dolphin experience for reason such as the sense of atonement not being the same swimming with a robot versus a live animal . Other justification for the live experience admit the theme having been a puerility dream or " pail - list " experience . The remaining five pick the animatronic experience for reasons considering animal cruelty and their own prior knowledge of the well-being issues surrounding these experience .

After reply to the initial question , the students were then asked to watch two videos . The first was a infotainment about the life story of a absorbed cause of death giant ( Lolita : Slave to Entertainment ) . The 2nd video is a promotional TV by Edge Innovations about their animatronic dolphinfish choice , part of which is designate below .

After consider both TV , the students were then ask to revisit the first question to learn if their response had change . Of the ten participants who had picked the live mahimahi experience in the initial dubiousness , all but one then foot the animatronic dolphin in the 2nd bout of pick .

Many refer the cruelty shown to the orca in the docudrama as a grounds for their choice and this led them to believe that swimming with the robotic version was the “ good honorable determination ” . The responses also highlighted the role of the medium in changing perceptions around the issue of using beast for profit . Those that had already pick the robotic variant in phase one feel even more positive by their original alternative .

The survey suggest that ethical and well-being considerations have put marine theme parks and marine museum that proffer these " once - in - a - lifetime " experiences under scrutiny from animal rights nominee , and more recently the public . Some country have even protect dolphin from use in such parks due to public pressure and brute social welfare concerns .

In a world where animal rights and environmental concerns are some of the most frequently babble out about issues , are animatronic encounters the future of dolphin experiences ?

What would you choose ?

The report is published in theJournal of Ecotourism .