A zoo was heavily criticised after one of its tigers that visitors said looked extremely skinny was filmed eating the grass growing in its enclosure.
Phone footage captured by an unnamed tourist shows the bony wild animal chewing on some tall weeds in the Guangzhou Zoo, in southern China’s Guangdong Province.
Its appearance sparked concern among social media users, with some questioning if the tiger had turned to eating grass out of hunger.
Staff from Guangzhou Zoo were quick to respond, however, claiming they always provide plentiful food for their animals.
They stated that the South China tiger was brought in as a rescue, and the keepers feed it daily.
They also claimed that its current physique is natural for its condition. The tiger is reportedly of an advanced age, being 19 years old, which is equivalent to over 80 years in human terms.
They have previously also put up signs within its enclosure meant to reassure zoo goers, with the words: “I may look thin, but I am healthy.”
As for the tiger consuming grass, staff said it is because it promotes digestion.
They added that its slender appearance could also be due to inbreeding.
The South China tiger ( Panthera tigris tigris) is a native Chinese species that has been listed as ‘critically endangered’ on China’s Red List of Vertebrates and is believed to be extinct in the wild.
According to the zoo, the South China tigers within the national zoo system are descendants of the six South China tigers captured from the wild in the 1950s and 1960s.
After several decades of breeding, inbreeding has become a severe issue.
Inbreeding among South China tigers leads to similar effects as seen in humans, such as a hunched back, slender physique, and lower reproductive capacity.
The zoo added they keep the tigers on stricter dietary requirements than those of first-class athletes.
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Story By: Simona Kitanovska, Sub-Editor: Marija Stojkoska, Agency: Asia Wire Report
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