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She almost had the weight of the world — or, actually, a sea lion — on her shoulders.
When Florida-based influencer Micah Diaz, 20, recently visited Marineland, an aquarium in Mallorca, Spain, he witnessed a dangerous near-accident as a sea lion escaped its enclosure and slid onto an employee.
In the shocking video, the sea lion is seen wiggling its way out of the enclosed water pool in which it was swimming, as the employee runs to try to gently push the animal back in the water.
However, the weight of the 750-pound sea lion was just too much, and it plopped on top of her as they both hit the ground, the animal flopping on half of her body.
“I am a surfer and very comfortable around marine animals and have been to many aquariums,” Diaz told Media Drum World about what he witnessed that day.
“I have never seen an accident like this.”
Marineworld is a popular marine amusement park and offers many experiences with sea animals — including the ability to take a photo with a sea lion, and something called a “sea lions experience,” where guests learn all about the animal and are able to see them swim underwater and even pet them.
After the 20-year-old had realized what happened, he got up and went to make sure both the woman and the sea lion were OK.
Luckily, the employee sprung right up from the ground and went to check on the sea lion, petting the large animal and cupping its adorable face.
Diaz said that he was “shocked” and thought that the employee may have broken a bone due to the sea lion’s weight, but they both appeared seemingly unharmed by the incident.
“The sea lion was then taken away,” Diaz described to Media Drum World. “I’m assuming to be checked out for injuries or put back in the tank.”
The Post reached out to Marineland Mallorca for comment.
The employee was also checked out by medical personnel.
“This does not happen often,” Diaz asserted. “It seemed as if the sea lion got a little excited.”
According to American Oceans, sea lions are not “typically aggressive” toward humans but can become “defensive” if they feel “threatened” or “cornered.”
“But, thankfully, both were OK,” Diaz believed.
However, the practice of holding animals at marine amusement parks and other attractions has been widely criticized by many organizations and protesters, including the Humane Society of the United States.
“The Humane Society of the United States believes that these animals are best seen in their natural coastal and ocean environments instead of being held captive simply to entertain people,” the organization wrote on an informational page on their website.
They also noted that keeping animals like whales and dolphins at marine amusement parks can cause them to have skin problems, as well as a potential for dorsal fin collapse in orcas.
It also goes against the animal’s natural instincts to be held in a tiny body of water, as they typically swim for miles and miles per day in open water, according to the organization.
On their website, Marineland notes; “Love, respect and knowledge for the natural environment are key principles for the performance of the activity of Marineland Mallorca.”
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