This is the moment an endangered tiger cub is walked through a zoo on a lead and is attacked by a playful puppy while visitors take pics.
The peculiar scene that delighted visitors was filmed at Changsha Ecological Zoo in Changsha, in the province of Hunan in southern China, on 23rd September.
The video shows a three-month-old Siberian tiger cub strapped with a yellow harness with a young pup and growling as the dog tries to initiate a playfight.
But experts have long warned against the practice of treating big cats like pets.
Talking at the time about the tiger petting industry seen in Tiger King, – Kitty Block, President & CEO of Humane World for Animals, warned that people should know that “posing with a tiger cub may seem harmless, but it fuels a cruel industry that inflicts a great deal of suffering on these majestic big cats and does nothing to enhance conservation efforts or raise awareness on the plight of threatened and endangered species.”
Zoo staff confirmed that the cub posed no danger to the public and that all necessary precautions were taken to ensure the safety of both the animal and the visitors, but did not comment on whether it was cruel or inappropriate.
Visitors were not allowed to interact with the tiger at any point, and they maintained a distance while observing the animal.
The zoo said it was the cub’s leisure period, and the walk formed part of its routine to provide exercise and stimulation.
The walk attracted attention from onlookers who filmed the cub and shared the footage online as staff supervised the cub throughout the walk.
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Story By: Simona Kitanovska, Sub-Editor: Simona Kitanovska, Agency: Asia Wire Report
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