Social media has no doubt improved the lives of billions of people. That said, its also responsible for some changes to society that aren’t exactly welcome.
One is the fact that certain people now feel an overwhelming need to do ridiculous things to entertain others online. Sure, sometimes they’re harmless things, things that only impact upon the person pulling the stunt. Other times, though, lives are put at risks, and this is where we have to draw the line.
Back in 2016, at the Santa Teresita beach resort in Buenos Aires, Argentina, a baby dolphin was killed by tourists because they were trying to “make memories”.
The Franciscan dolphin, who had been carried too close to the shore by the tide, was pulled from the ocean and passed around by tourists so they could take pictures. After they’d taken their pictures, it’s said they then left the dolphin on the sand.
A witness told C5N: “They let him die. He was young and came to the shore. They could have returned him to the water—in fact, he was breathing. But everyone started taking photos and touching him. They said he was already dead.”
A viral video was later uploaded, showing the throng of people passing the baby around like it was a toy. Franciscan dolphins, as with many of their species, cannot survive above water for long. Worse, sources say they are vulnerable to extinction.
I don’t know who needs to hear this, but taking an animal out of its environment just so you can get a picture will never be okay.
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