Barney the whale is being promoted to tourists as an attraction at Ocean Park - more than a month after he died.
Tourist brochures on the park and the false killer whale's role in daily marine shows were being given to tourists at Hong Kong Tourist Association counters yesterday despite Barney being dead.
At the park, souvenir shops were selling killer whale stuffed toys and caps, key rings, fridge magnets and posters.
Barney, the last of Ocean Park's 11 false killer whales, died of a bacterial lung disease called melioidosis on October 10.
A reporter yesterday visited association counters in Tsim Sha Tsui and Central asking for information on Ocean Park.
Both times she was given a brochure describing the park's Marine Land: 'It's all-aquatic action at the 3,500-seat Ocean Theatre as a false killer whale, dolphins and sea lions perform antics to amaze and delight.' When asked about the animals in the show, staff did not volunteer the fact that Barney was dead until, at the Central counter, the whale was specifically mentioned by the reporter.
A 'Save the whales and dolphins' poster greets visitors as they alight from the park's cable car and head for Ocean Theatre.