Men slammed for video of whale shark "surfing"
Two men have been criticised after a video showing them “surfing” on the back of a whale shark surfaced online.
It was uploaded to the Facebook page of the non-profit environmental group Marine Connection, who are calling for the pair to face legal action.
The footage shows the men holding on to a rope and being pulled along by a moving vessel as they stand on the animal’s back.
Once they fall off, the men swim quickly towards the boat to get out of the water.
When they reach the back of the vessel, the whale shark re-emerges from the water, appearing aggravated.
The men and the other people on the boat can be heard laughing and calling out in the background.
The video has been slammed for its "stupidity and arrogance".
"Wildlife harassment is never a laughing matter," Marine Connection wrote in their Facebook post.
"What a sad reflection on their attitude to wildlife when, instead of considering themselves fortunate to see this majestic creature in the wild, they choose to participate in a stupid stunt like this."
Whale sharks are a protected species.
News break - June 20
