Watch: Beluga Whale Splashes Man Smoking At Aquarium In China, Internet Cheers

A surprising moment at Dalian Sunasia Ocean World in China recently went viral, showing a beluga whale extinguishing a cigarette lit by a man in the beluga interaction area. The man, holding a white plastic bag, was seen lighting a cigarette while standing with his back to the beluga pool, despite being in a no-smoking zone. As a staff member rushed over to stop him, a beluga whale nearby suddenly leapt and sprayed a jet of water that extinguished the cigarette mid-smoke, leaving the man visibly startled.

"At Dalian Ocean World, a man ignored staff warnings and kept smoking. Right then, a beluga whale from behind sprayed a water jet—bullseye!—putting out his cigarette in the coolest way possible," the video was captioned on X. 

Watch the video here:

At Dalian Ocean World大连圣亚海洋世界, a man ignored staff warnings and kept smoking.
Right then, a beluga whale from behind sprayed a water jet—bullseye!—putting out his cigarette in the coolest way possible. pic.twitter.com/0RC1rsE8Bk

— China in Pictures (@tongbingxue) December 7, 2025

The perfectly timed moment amused viewers across platforms. One user wrote, "Look at how PROUD he is of himself!" Another said, "Imagine getting disciplined by a whale because you can't follow simple instructions. Embarrassing behavior, elite correction.The whale said not in my house."

A third added, "Belugas' precision stems from their advanced echolocation and trainability, per marine biology research." Some also thought that the video was generated by AI. 

A staged stunt?

It turns out the incident was staged as a rehearsal for a fire safety promotional video. On Sunday, a Beijing News reporter confirmed with the aquarium that the viral video was actually a rehearsal for a fire safety awareness campaign. All individuals featured were staff members, and several staged takes were filmed during the shoot.

Official sources in Dalian also verified that the video was scripted, and relevant authorities have since stepped in to address the matter, according to Global Times. 

This is not the first time a beluga whale at a Chinese aquarium has been featured in a staged fire-safety drill video, as similar footage from aquariums in Liaoning province has circulated online previously.

About Beluga Whales

The beluga whale is a small, toothed whale known for its distinctive white colour and expressive face. Often called the "canary of the sea" for its wide range of vocalizations, the beluga is a highly social and intelligent marine mammal found primarily in the cold Arctic and sub-Arctic waters.

Belugas are extremely social and travel in pods. They use clicks, whistles, and chirps to communicate and navigate. They are often seen swimming close to the surface and can be quite playful with each other and occasionally with humans.

With their gentle appearance and expressive nature, belugas are popular in aquariums and often used in marine education, though keeping them in captivity remains controversial.

They face threats from climate change, pollution, shipping noise, and in some regions, hunting. Some populations are considered near threatened or endangered, and efforts are ongoing to protect their natural habitats.