SeaWorld's Fame at Stake as Video of a Distraught Pilot Whale Stuck on a Ledge Goes Viral [VIDEO]

It has been a tough year for the SeaWorld theme park in Orlando. Apart from being fined $38,500 by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration it was also  labeled a repeat offender. Tough times again knocked with the release of a documentary, 'Blackfish,' that focuses on the negative aspects of whales in captivity and is based on the story of Tilikum, the largest killer whale in captivity at SeaWorld. Now a video has gone viral putting SeaWorld smack in the middle of another controversy.

Earlier this month, a park visitor named Carlo De Leonibus captured the sight of a distressed pilot whale that was stuck on a ledge for more than 20 minutes during a dolphin show. The disturbing video has gone viral on YouTube and left several people stunned. The video will definitely change people's perception toward SeaWorld.

On July 20, De Leonibus was celebrating his daughter's birthday with his family at the Orlando SeaWorld Park. Suddenly his daughter Catiana spotted a short finned pilot whale stuck on the ledge of a pool. The hapless audience watched in dismay as the struggling pilot whale flailed around trying to get into the waters, reports Huffington Post.

De Leonibus made an effort to bring it to the attention of  SeaWorld employees but was shocked when they brushed him off by stating that the sea mammal was playing and these mammals are taught to roll and get back into the pool.

"The whale rocked and writhed, vainly trying to push itself back to the water. Many in the audience began shouting and even swearing, demanding that someone on staff do something to assist the poor animal that was clearly in distress. The crowd was extremely furious. People were stomping their feet. Everyone wanted that dolphin to be helped. One man said he was going to go protest outside the park's gates," De Leonibus was quoted in TakePart.

He recalls that it took 25 minutes for the trainers to eventually react and push the dolphin back into the water.

Nick Gollattscheck, a rep for SeaWorld, said that the animal was never in danger. Pilot whales exhibit such behavior daily. This dolphin was saved by SeaWorld's animal rescue team last Labor Day. After rehabilitation, it was labeled as un-releasable by the federal government, reports thee Huffington Post.

Till now the video has been viewed by more than 1,25,841 users.