Guest guest Posted February 28, 2005 Report Share Posted February 28, 2005 http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/213773_pac28.html Monday, February 28, 2005 Pacific Currents: Gore draws Chinese to animal parks By JULIE CHAO COX NEWS SERVICE HARBIN, China -- Cameras and videos are ready. Kids' noses are pressed to the windows. Chinese tourists packed into a minibus are on the lookout for Siberian tigers, one of the most endangered species in the world. While some of these visitors may be animal lovers, they have not paid $7 apiece merely to drive around and admire the huge felines lounging about in their snowy compounds. They are here to see some action. But first, they must pay. " You can buy a domesticated chicken for 40 yuan ($4.80) or for 100 yuan ($12.10) you can buy a wild one, which flies, " the driver announces. " The effect is much different; it's exceptionally thrilling. " In their hourlong tour of this park, tourists will watch ravenous tigers chasing down live chickens, sheep and cows. Feathers will be plucked and limbs torn by the 300-pound cats while the tourists gasp, scream, cheer and recoil at the carnage. Wild animals for human entertainment have become big business in China. In just a decade, almost 30 " wild animal parks, " with tens of thousands of tigers, lions, monkeys, deer and other animals, have opened. The first opened in the southern city of Shenzhen 12 years ago. When it became a huge success, it spawned others. Many of the investors -- some of them local governments, some of them private companies -- knew and cared little about animals. Like many new industries in China, this one grew quickly without government oversight. Several people have been mauled to death at parks. Because China has no laws on animal welfare or independent animal rights groups, living conditions and treatment of the animals vary widely. One park put a turtle in a glass box and allowed people to throw coins at it so they could try to hit its shell. At another, a tiger's head was chained down so that children could climb on its back for photos. A few parks even allow visitors to pay extra to watch a live horse get devoured by lions and tigers. But in a sign of the nascent civil society and emerging activist spirit here, a group of college students took it upon themselves to investigate the industry last year. They visited 21 wild animal parks and issued their scathing report in December. " Their sole goal is profit, " said Athena Liu, a 23-year-old graduate student at Beijing Normal University and one of the authors. " The parks will do anything to attract visitors. If the visitors want it, they'll do it. " Sometimes they starve the lions and tigers to make them perform better, " she said. The students also found evidence that animals were imported illegally and bred unscientifically. One park veterinarian told them the death rate is quite high, and that of all his tasks, what he does the most is conduct necropsies. Harbin's Siberian Tiger Park is one of the few wild animal parks that is not purely commercial. It also receives some government support for breeding programs. There are believed to be only a dozen or so Siberian tigers in the wild in China, with 300 in Russia. Wang Ligang said the park has barely enough money to feed its nearly 500 tigers. Much as he loathes the idea of the feeding performances, it's an economic necessity. After the driver announces the chicken prices, 100 yuan notes are passed up to the front of the bus. A white jeep drives up and a wild chicken is quickly tossed out. With an easy swipe of a paw, a tiger quickly captures it, and then again with a second chicken. The tourists start griping. They were promised a chase, and they call for another flying chicken. The driver talks into his radio. Another bird is released. This time it stands on the roof of the jeep for several minutes while the tigers circle. Suspense builds. Cameras are readied. Suddenly the bird takes off, flying straight into the bus window. The tigers give chase. Everyone screams. Since the bird can't fly very high, a tiger catches it within seconds. Chinese tourists say the park is good for tiger conservation. " The tigers have to eat. The only difference is whether you see it or not, " said Lu Yingwu, who was visiting from Shenzhen with his wife and 7-year-old son. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 1, 2005 Report Share Posted March 1, 2005 Linda-or anyone, do you know where I can get a copy of the report? Thank you, Kirsten Conrad Linda J. Howard [lindajhoward] Monday, February 28, 2005 8:05 PM aapn China: Gore draws Chinese to animal parks http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/213773_pac28.html Monday, February 28, 2005 Pacific Currents: Gore draws Chinese to animal parks By JULIE CHAO COX NEWS SERVICE HARBIN, China -- Cameras and videos are ready. Kids' noses are pressed to the windows. Chinese tourists packed into a minibus are on the lookout for Siberian tigers, one of the most endangered species in the world. While some of these visitors may be animal lovers, they have not paid $7 apiece merely to drive around and admire the huge felines lounging about in their snowy compounds. They are here to see some action. But first, they must pay. " You can buy a domesticated chicken for 40 yuan ($4.80) or for 100 yuan ($12.10) you can buy a wild one, which flies, " the driver announces. " The effect is much different; it's exceptionally thrilling. " In their hourlong tour of this park, tourists will watch ravenous tigers chasing down live chickens, sheep and cows. Feathers will be plucked and limbs torn by the 300-pound cats while the tourists gasp, scream, cheer and recoil at the carnage. Wild animals for human entertainment have become big business in China. In just a decade, almost 30 " wild animal parks, " with tens of thousands of tigers, lions, monkeys, deer and other animals, have opened. The first opened in the southern city of Shenzhen 12 years ago. When it became a huge success, it spawned others. Many of the investors -- some of them local governments, some of them private companies -- knew and cared little about animals. Like many new industries in China, this one grew quickly without government oversight. Several people have been mauled to death at parks. Because China has no laws on animal welfare or independent animal rights groups, living conditions and treatment of the animals vary widely. One park put a turtle in a glass box and allowed people to throw coins at it so they could try to hit its shell. At another, a tiger's head was chained down so that children could climb on its back for photos. A few parks even allow visitors to pay extra to watch a live horse get devoured by lions and tigers. But in a sign of the nascent civil society and emerging activist spirit here, a group of college students took it upon themselves to investigate the industry last year. They visited 21 wild animal parks and issued their scathing report in December. " Their sole goal is profit, " said Athena Liu, a 23-year-old graduate student at Beijing Normal University and one of the authors. " The parks will do anything to attract visitors. If the visitors want it, they'll do it. " Sometimes they starve the lions and tigers to make them perform better, " she said. The students also found evidence that animals were imported illegally and bred unscientifically. One park veterinarian told them the death rate is quite high, and that of all his tasks, what he does the most is conduct necropsies. Harbin's Siberian Tiger Park is one of the few wild animal parks that is not purely commercial. It also receives some government support for breeding programs. There are believed to be only a dozen or so Siberian tigers in the wild in China, with 300 in Russia. Wang Ligang said the park has barely enough money to feed its nearly 500 tigers. Much as he loathes the idea of the feeding performances, it's an economic necessity. After the driver announces the chicken prices, 100 yuan notes are passed up to the front of the bus. A white jeep drives up and a wild chicken is quickly tossed out. With an easy swipe of a paw, a tiger quickly captures it, and then again with a second chicken. The tourists start griping. They were promised a chase, and they call for another flying chicken. The driver talks into his radio. Another bird is released. This time it stands on the roof of the jeep for several minutes while the tigers circle. Suspense builds. Cameras are readied. Suddenly the bird takes off, flying straight into the bus window. The tigers give chase. Everyone screams. Since the bird can't fly very high, a tiger catches it within seconds. Chinese tourists say the park is good for tiger conservation. " The tigers have to eat. The only difference is whether you see it or not, " said Lu Yingwu, who was visiting from Shenzhen with his wife and 7-year-old son. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.