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The dolphin lifts its head and makes its famous clicking sound. Then, it dives under the water.

A woman in a pink swimsuit swims alongside it. The crowd is delighted. The show is so good that they forget why it is unusual: the dolphin is a robot.

There are about 3,000 dolphins in captivity around the world. They are used for entertainment. People watch them do tricks and can even swim with them.

These shows are supposed to inspire people to learn about dolphins. But often, the tanks in zoos do not have enough spaceIn the wild, dolphins can swim up to 80 miles a day. Even in the largest aquariums, they do not have the opportunity to move with nearly as much freedom. for the animals. Critics argue that making them do tricks is cruelCausing pain or suffering. Even though dolphins play together in the wild, animal rights supporters argue that it is unfair to train them to play when we make them do things..

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A company in California has come up with a solutionAnswer to a problem. : an animatronicA portmanteau word combining animation and electronic. A robot is animatronic when it is trying to represent a live creature. robot just like a real dolphin.

It is so realistic that when they tested it in a local swimming pool, one onlooker even believed that it was a living, breathing creature.

The creators say the robots could end animal cruelty. They do not get hungry or tired; they could be on show around the clock.

Yes! Zoos may be fun, but they are not natural. All animals should be able to live freely in the wild. These robots do not need food. They do not mind being kept in small pools. They are perfect for learning about wild animals without taking them away from where they belong!

Not really. We should not want to go to zoos in the first place. It is not right to stare at animals for fun. If we want to look at wild animals, there are plenty of beautiful films that show them in their natural habitatAn animal's habitat is the place that they live in. where they belong.