Monday, February 11, 2008

Chinese Zoo Puts On a Show, but Mistreats Animals

As the Beijing Olympics approach, critics hope new light will be shed on China's controversial zoos. The Xiongsen Tiger and Bear Park in Guilin, China, has long been a favorite target of international animal rights groups because of the live animal sacrifices and the taunting and torture of animals that have been performed there for years, to mostly enthusiastic audiences. At most zoos in China, the routine is similar: Tiger and bear trainers prod and poke the animals in order to provoke them. Tigers are trained to ride around the ring atop apparently petrified horses. At some zoos, lions and tigers are fed live chickens, goats and even horses, triggering a feeding frenzy as the cats devour their hapless prey in front of visitors. And the tourists seem to love it. Source: ABC News

1 comment:

Kats_Kritters said...

Ive seen videos on this... many people will argue that it helps exercise the animals and lets them use their wild instincts to "hunt" and kill their food. But the problem is.. people buy these animals, I believe it is $4.00 to buy a goat, etc. and a dollar or something to buy a chicken... and then they can be thrown over a wall and fed to the animals. The big cats actually get overfed if anything..

And their other "shows" .. I don't even want to go there... hitting and poking bears to perform stupid tricks to loud music.. ugh.