SMILING DOLPHIN MIHARU

The "Smiling Dolphin" meme, which went viral on X, is based on a photo of Miharu, a Yangtze Finless Porpoise housed at the Miyajima Public Aquarium in Japan. Initially uploaded to ZooChat in 2023, the image gained attention for Miharu's joyful, almost human-like expression. It later resurfaced on social media, becoming a reaction meme as users paired Miharu's smile with humorous or wholesome captions. Though Miharu is a porpoise, the internet affectionately dubbed it the "Smiling Dolphin," boosting its popularity while drawing attention to the endangered Yangtze Finless Porpoise species.