Beluga Whale Bites Divers in Chengdu Haichang Polar Ocean Park, China

Visitors at Chengdu Haichang Polar Ocean Park were shocked when a beluga whale attacked two divers during an underwater session. The incident happened inside the aquarium’s large marine tank on Wednesday, August 14.

Footage from the scene shows the huge white whale swimming toward a female diver. It then bit her legs, forcing her to quickly swim away. Moments later, the same whale turned to a second diver who was holding a camera and bit his flipper shoes. Both workers escaped without serious injury.

According to witnesses, loud screams filled the viewing area as the animal made sudden moves toward the divers. The whale later swam deeper into the tank, joining another beluga nearby.

This is not the first such incident in China. On April 5 last year, a woman posing for underwater photos with two beluga whales at Stone Forest Ice and Snow World in Yunnan was bitten on the head by one of the whales. The bite removed her wig, but she managed to reach the surface unharmed.

Experts say belugas are usually friendly, but captivity can change their behaviour. Biting can be caused by playfulness, stress, confusion, overexcitement, or territorial instincts. Health issues or previous training methods can also play a role.

According to the China Cetacean Alliance, more than 1,085 whales were living in captivity across China in 2020, including over 200 belugas. Animal rights groups have long raised concerns about the stress these mammals face in confined spaces.