Saxophone-Playing, Tango-Dancing Walrus Delights Crowds In Istanbul (VIDEO)

via News Lite

When The Beatles wrote 'I Am the Walrus' they probably never considered getting one of the huge marine mammals to play an instrument on it.

But that was because they had never seen Sara the Walrus who delights in entertaining audiences with her saxophone skills at a Dolphinarium in Turkey.

Grabbing the brass instrument in her flippers she 'plays' it jazz-style twisting from side to side during performances.

WATCH:

Watch Sara the Walrus dance the tango below:

Comments

[Nooneyouknow]

I can only relate to animals if they can imitate humans. If an animal can't be made to pretend to be like us, what good is it? Yes, I'm being sarcastic.
However, why couldn't someone use this kind of training to make George Bush behave more like a human?

[americanzutroy]

Rosie O'Donnell's variety show! HA! Joel McHale's funny.

[RainDance33]

When are people going to move beyond using animals for their own amusement and entertainment. Years ago a circus came to town loaded to the hilt with the usual suspects, elephants, lions, tigers, monkeys and so on. I told my kids they were not allowed to go. At the time they were upset as all their friends were going. Now they thank me. A few years later the circus was charged with animal abuse and cruelty. Thankfully animal circuses are now on the decline. Lets stick to jugglers and trapeze artists. It starts from the top parents. Teach your kids a valuable lesson and show them that caged or trained animals for entertainment is not the way to learn about the animal world. I read someone here comparing this to cats and dogs as pets. These animals have been domesticated over many years, it is quite different from taking an animal out of its natural environment. Marine parks with dolphins is one of the worst offenders. 53% of dolphins captured die within the first 90 days. Llife expectancy in the wild is 45 years, in captivity it is 5 years. Google Facts of dolphin captivity to learn more.

[ELReinhard]

Poor Sara! She looks discolored.

[fightorleave2]

This is close to animal abuse. It's not funny.

[tjwdraws]

I doubt Sarah "delights" in being forced to put on this act in exchange for a few morsels of food. I am sure she would delight in being in her natural habitat - free to be herself with her own kind.

[Rosey]

Her "trainers" should be caged and forced to perform for food!

[BannedFromCommenting]

All you meanies dissing the trainers etc... she could have been an abandoned pup, who has some type of disability that would render her incapable of caring for herself in the wild. You dont know her background... Of course the wild is best, IF it will not cause you to starve to death.

The tricks etc, being a more intelligent animal are a focus, an outlet to use those smarts... we do not know what her habitat is like when she is not performing.

All the dogs and cats we all own, should "be in the wild" too, but they cant now can they due to domestication... same for this walrus that was probably raised by humans too long because it was found injured or abandoned or born in captivity and rejected by its mother.

[cowbell666]

well for one thing she doesn't have any tusks.... not sure if they were removed by these people or not. a walrus certainly cannot survive in the wild without its tusks.

[gidi2]

Oh, puh-lease! By that reasoning, we would still have a vibrant trade in freak shows. You're rationalizing exploitation...

[AlexFTW]

Hey, I perform tricks every day in exchange for a few morsels of food. Why doesn't anyone ever come to my defense?

[dlo2]

Poor animal..I agree. Maybe the trainer in his next life will be dependent on this walrus for his own sustenance...Karma is so exacting.

[FrisbeeZebra]

Unfortunately things like this are never as cute as they look. People who know and work with animals know that animals don't "perform" unless they are on some kind of a drive. This means that something the animal wants and needs naturally - a natural drive - is withheld from the animal so that it will do what the trainers wish. This walrus is hungry - and it gets small amounts of food while it performs. If the walrus doesn't perform - it doesn't eat. This goes for all performing wild animals - including lions, tigers and elephants. So when we watch and enjoy an animal doing "cute" things like playing the saxophone we're not watching an animal "delight" in anything - we're watching an animal who is trying to survive under unnatural and often painful circumstances that have been imposed on him/her by human trainers.

[whatsthatsound]

What a gyp! That walrus wasn't playing anything, just mustache-synching! Must have Britney Spears' agent.

[Judyisacutie]

I prefer the dancing walrus to Japan's monkey waiters. That's for sure!

[vincefango]

Animals are cool...

[loki]

Wow, Bill Clinton has a paying gig !

[HoraceOvidson]

Does anybody else notice a resemblance to Cannonball Adderley?

[jdmba]

Wow. I've never been so proud to be an American, where we have good entertainment... Like "House."

[woodcut]

It's a short step from this, to a bear riding a bike or an elephant doing a head stand.
NOT FUNNY. Let's appreciate animals without making them into clowns.

[sensiblegal]

I agree. Watching this made me feel sad and very uncomfortable. The indignity for this beautiful animal is really painful to watch. Its no better than teaching a mentally retarded person to dance on command then have people clap