Masha was 22 years old, originally from Sarapul, Russia, and had been living for ten months in Yunnan province, China, doing six 5-minute shows a day: nothing out of the ordinary for an aquarium actress. Until on January 29, 2025, inside the tank at Xishuangbanna Primitive Forest Park, a colossal lake sturgeon turned toward her, opened its jaws, and put her entire head in its mouth. With one yank it tore off her protective goggles and nose clips. The injuries reached her head, neck, and one eye. The children watching the show screamed in terror.
What followed was just as disturbing. The park owners, instead of pulling her out and treating her, forced her to go back into the water. When Masha tried to talk about the incident, they forbade her from doing so. And the compensation they offered her for the “moral damages”: between 96 and 200 dollars. The video of the attack went viral within hours and exposed what her employers had tried to bury.
The fish was not the only predator in that tank. What do you think about how those responsible for the park handled the situation?
Watch the video: