(CN) Statement from AAF re Live Animal Feeding

[Guest guest]

Re: Live Animal Feeding

 

May, 2007: Thank you for taking the time to write to us at Animals

Asia about the horrific practice of live animal feeding at Chinese

zoos and wildlife parks. Animals Asia Foundation is appalled at the

continued practice of live animal feeding at zoos and wildlife parks

in China.

 

This barbaric form of " entertainment " is still going on despite an

assurance last year from Wang Wei, the vice director of China's

Wildlife Conservation Department, that he had " put an end to shows of

feeding beasts of prey with live animals " .

 

Recent media reports about tourists being sold terrified live animals

to feed to ravenous Siberian tigers at a wildlife park in Harbin,

Northern China have caused shock and outrage throughout the world.

This practice has no place in modern China, particularly as the eyes

of the world are on Beijing in the lead up to the 2008 Olympics.

Facilities that allow live animal feeding make a mockery of Beijing's

concept of the " Green Olympics " .

 

Chickens, ducks, pheasants, sheep, cows and oxen are all being

tortured in this cruel and despicable manner. People across China as

well as many unsuspecting tourists are sickened by the spectacle.

Park operators claim that live animal feeding is necessary to train

tigers for eventual release into the wild. But even if these tigers

were to be released, the training is essentially flawed. Wild-born

tigers are not gratuitous killers; trained from an early age by their

mothers, they kill quickly and efficiently; largely to conserve their

own energy. Captive-bred tigers have no understanding of how to kill

their prey ¬ it can take 30 minutes or longer. They cause extreme

stress, pain and suffering to the animals they attack.

 

We are pleased to let you know that the issue was raised earlier this

year at the state level by Ms Zhou Ping, a deputy attending the

annual session of the National People's Congress (NPC), the national

legislature. Ms Zhou asked Animals Asia for help in preparing a

proposal calling on Mr Wang to enforce the ban. She also called for

an end to bear bile farming.

 

Having investigated and filmed these horrific performances since

1998, we are encouraged by messages of support from various officials

in Beijing who are clearly against the practice. However in the light

of recent exposes, it would be a clear message to these facilities if

the Central Government now issued a definitive, countrywide ban on

live animal feeding.

 

In the meantime, please take the time to write a polite letter of

complaint to President Hu Jintao, c/o your local Chinese embassy. You

can find the address of your local embassy at the following link:

http://www.travelchinaguide.com/embassy/

 

Thank you again for your concern.

 

Sincerely,

 

Jill Robinson MBE

Founder and CEO

Animals Asia

Foundation