A beluga whale hilariously doused a man puffing on a cig in a no-smoking zone at an aquarium.
The visitor was spotted lighting up with his back to the whale’s pool when an aquarium worker stepped in to confront him.
He apparently argued back – but the whale had other ideas.
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Snapping up a mouthful of water, the beluga sprayed the smoker, soaking his upper body and putting out his cigarette.
The stunned man turned to see the cheeky whale seemingly grinning at him.
The perfectly-timed moment was filmed at Sun Asia Ocean World & Polar World in Dalian, north-eastern China, and quickly amused viewers online.
One local said: “China has so much discipline that even the animals adopt their practices.”
Another added: “Imagine getting disciplined by a whale because you can’t follow simple instructions.
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“Embarrassing behaviour, elite correction.
“The whale said ‘not in my house’.”
One person added: “How can I show appreciation to this whale?”
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However, after the clip went viral, it emerged the encounter was staged as part of a fire safety promotional video.
An aquarium spokesperson confirmed it was a rehearsal for the campaign, as reported by What’s The Jam.
Everyone in the video was a staff member, and several takes were filmed during the shoot.
According to local reports, the whale – named Pomegranate – once intervened in a real fire drill at the aquarium without being part of the plan.
Before firefighters could demonstrate how to extinguish a blaze, Pomegranate beat them to it, leaving staff dumbfounded.
The aquarium said the beluga has lived there for eight years and has the intelligence of a child aged between three and six.
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