Seal is forced to tow children around in a boat with a rope tied around its neck at an animal park in Belgium
- The footage was filmed at the Mont Mosan animal park in Huy, Liege province
- Animal rights activists say seals only perform the tricks to be rewarded with fish
- Video racked up nearly half a million views after it was shared on social media
This is the moment a seal is forced to tow children around in a boat with a rope tied around its neck at an animal park in Belgium.
Two of the animals were filmed swimming in a water attraction at the Mont Mosan animal park, Huy, in the province of Liege.
As they emerge around the corner, one seal swims while a blue ring is attached to its neck.
A rope is tied to the blue ring that pulls a boatload of three children through the water.
Shocking footage shared online shows the seal furthest away pulling a boatload of children using a rope tied around its neck
Two seals emerge from around the corner of the water attraction
Animal rights activists say seals only perform the stunts to receive fish as a reward.
The footage was shared by Aaron Copette with the animal rights organisation ‘C’est assez’ (‘That’s enough’) on Facebook.
The group campaigns against keeping marine wildlife – such as seals – in captivity.
The video has racked up nearly half a million views, with outraged users posting thousands of comments.
Copette said: ‘I find it horrible what we are still doing to animals in 2020. All to entertain people and for money.’
He added that animal rights organisations are ‘doing everything they can to educate people who go to this kind of park and to make them understand that it is wrong.
‘Even if the owner of the park says he does not abuse or lock up the animals, or force them to do shows, it is still a form of abuse.’
Copette called for the park to rehabilitate the animals in their natural environment said he did not lodge a formal complaint with the park.
‘My goal is to denounce them so that people become aware of the plight of animals’, he said.
A blue ring has been attached to the seal’s head with a rope tied to it that pulls the boat through the water
Local newspaper Sudinfo said the footage has been repeatedly shared on social media since August 9.
This has allegedly led to increased scrutiny of the park and its owner.
Christine Grandjean, 68, founder of ‘C’est assez’, said that although ‘you can’t treat animals like that’, the group did not want the park owner to be threatened.
She said the group has ‘amended our Facebook post to ask people to be more moderate when contacting him’.
The two seals swim past, with the one on the right attached to the rope that pulls the boat. Animal rights activists say seals only perform the stunts to receive fish as a reward
She added: ‘We don’t think he is intentionally harming the animals. Even though we have received reports that the park is insalubrious.
‘We understand that the seals do it voluntarily, slipping into the rope lasso and pulling the boat around.
‘But they wouldn’t do it if it weren’t for the fish they are given as a reward. These are animals that belong in the wild. They should not be used as entertainment by people.’
The animal park has been contacted for comment.