VIDEO: Dolphin attacks trainer during Miami Seaquarium show

A dolphin attacked its trainer during a show at the Miami Seaquarium this weekend.

The cheery atmosphere quickly turned grim after a dolphin named Sundance became violent during the “Flipper” show, Local 10 News reported.

Photographer Shannon Carpenter, who attended the show with his family, recorded the exact moment when Sundance attacked his trainer. The video was later shared to TikTok.

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“[It] looked like the dolphin rammed into the trainer,” said Carpenter. “There was a struggle, some kind of collision under water happened. The lady on the paddleboard, she paddled out of the water pretty quick, and then the lead trainer started swimming back towards the dock, and it looked like she got ran into a couple more times.”

According to Local 10 News, “this is just the latest in a string of incidents at the Seaquarium currently under the microscope by USDA investigators.”

Although the Seaquarium was recently sold to the Mexico-based Dolphin company, many of the trainers, veterinarians and workers at the facility are still employed there.

The media outlet further revealed that, last June, the USDA issued a 17-page report citing multiple serious animal welfare violations at the Seaquarium, including the feeding of rotting fish, dead dolphins and a dilapidated tank where Lolita the orca has lived for 25 years.

This Monday night, Miami Seaquarium sent Local 10 News a statement, which read:

“A dolphin and trainer accidentally collided in the water on Saturday while performing a routine behavior as part of the Flipper Show. This was an uncomfortable interaction for both of them and the dolphin reacted by breaking away from the routine and striking the trainer. As a precaution, Miami-Dade County safety authorities were contacted. Our family extends to include the animals in our care, our team members and our guests. While there is no apparent serious injury, a careful watch and follow-up evaluations will ensure the best care for all.”

In response to the incident, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) stated:

“Time is up at Miami Seaquarium, where long-suffering dolphins desperately need protection and workers are at risk. PETA urges this abusement park to end its exploitation of dolphins by getting them into sanctuaries as quickly as possible, where they’d never be used in tawdry shows again and no-one else will get hurt.”

For several years, the charity, recognized as the world's largest animal rights group with more than three million members and supporters, has been calling on the park to release the cetaceans, including Lolita the orca.