By: Pari Heidari, 'Larry King Now'
Shocking footage has emerged, showing a rare baby dolphin being passed around for selfies among the tourists at Santa Teresita beach in Buenos Aires. The images show how the dolphin is encircled by a large crowd of people, all of them desperate for the chance to immortalize their moment with the rare animal.
The species in question is called 'Franciscana' and is "vulnerable to extinction,” according to the World Wildlife Fund.
Reports say that the crowds interest in the mammal faded quickly, once each person had had their time in the spotlight. After pictures were taken, the dolphin is said to have been left on the beach. Like other dolphins, and indeed most sea creatures, the 'Franciscana' does not survive long out of water. The photos that have emerged seem to imply that the animal has been left on its side to die from dehydration and overheating.
However, one of the tourists accused in the incident told The Independent that the dolphin was already dead before they started taking selfies with it.
A spokesperson for the Argentine Wildlife Foundation (AWF) has condemned the actions, saying, “this serves to inform the public about the urgent necessity to return these dolphins to the sea as soon as possible.”
The incident has sparked public outrage, with many taking to social media to air their thought and feelings.
What are your thoughts about the matter? Has the selfie-culture gone too far, or is this an issue that goes beyond social-media and Gen-Y trends? Is it perhaps, a reflection of an entire society moved to indifference?
When Elijah Wood sat down with Larry on 'Larry King Now!', he described selfies as "ridiculous," and "self-involved." See what else he had to say about the trends of his generation in the clip below!
The views and opinions expressed herein are those of the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of Ora Media, LLC, its affiliates, or its employees.
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