American singer Jason Derulo is facing criticism after revealing he keeps sharks at his luxury California mansion. Animal welfare organizations accused the artist of promoting the idea of turning wild animals into pets.
Derulo became the center of controversy after showing off a custom-built shark aquarium worth $1 million inside his mansion in Tarzana, California, Page Six reported.
The Whatcha Say singer previously gave YouTuber N3 a tour of his $15 million estate, where he revealed a specially designed aquarium nestled under the floor of his living room. The circular tank features a glass surface on which guests can walk while sharks and rays swim below.
The 36-year-old artist explained that building the tank required significant time and investment. He hired a swimming pool company to build the structure, while aquarium experts completed the filtration and aquatic systems. To preserve the habitat, Derulo said a team of professionals visits his home every other day to monitor the water quality and clean the tank.
However, after clips of the aquarium spread across TikTok and other social media platforms, negative reactions quickly followed.
The International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) has publicly criticized this approach, arguing that celebrities displaying sharks in private homes could normalize the trend of keeping wild animals as pets or decorative attractions. Christian Plowman, director of IFAW’s wildlife cybercrime programme, also referred to a case involving the seizure of more than 700 illegally traded marine animals in Argentina as an example of a wider issue.
IFAW also urged the public not to like, share or engage with content that normalizes the ownership of wild animals as pets. According to the organization, every interaction contributes to social media algorithms, indirectly fueling demand for wildlife trade.
Social media users also expressed strong opinions. One commenter described the situation as “cruel,” while another wrote, “Being rich can be depressing.” Despite the criticism, California law still allows the keeping of some smaller shark species that are not endangered in private aquariums. However, animal rights groups have long opposed this practice.
Born in 1989, Jason Derulo is an American singer, songwriter, and actor best known for his breakthrough hit Whatcha Say.
Over the years, Derulo has amassed billions of streams worldwide with global hits including Savage Love, Swalla, Talk Dirty, Trumpets and Wiggle.
Sources: Znews
