A spectator at SeaWorld Orlando uploaded this video of a pilot whale that was stuck on a ledge for 10 minutes without any help from SeaWorld employees, reported KSAT News. Staff responded only after the crowd started yelling angrily.
View this video on YouTube
The video was posted by Carlo De Leonibus who celebrated his daughter's 11th birthday at SeaWorld.
In the YouTube description, De Leonibus wrote:
Dolphin was stuck for about ten minutes before I went and told a seaworld employee in a dark blue shirt who said it was normal and that it was fine, playing etc. I went back to the bleachers and began recording. What I saw, changed my view of SeaWorld forever. The crowd becomes furious, yelling to save the dolphin. After an additional 10-15 minutes after my recording they sent two dolphin trainers in to push the dolphin back in.
In a statement to 10News.com, theme park spokesman Nick Gollattscheck said:
"The pilot whales come out on the ledge all the time and always get back into the deeper water without any problem. The animals seem to enjoy it and it has no effect on their health or well being. The younger and more inexperienced animals - like the one on the video - sometimes take a little longer, because they haven't completely mastered the technique yet. The whale was never in danger."