Bizarre twist in tragic tiger tale
By Li Xinran |
March 16, 2010, Tuesday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
ELEVEN Siberian tigers in a zoo in northeast China's Liaoning Province were deliberately starved to death as a "bargaining chip" for government fund allocations, according to a senior employee of the facility.
"The zoo always has a peak season lasting more than six months, while admission tickets were sold for 80 yuan (US$11.72)," the senior employee with Shenyang Forest Wild Animal Zoo told the Nanfang Daily.
"If everything went smoothly, annual revenue should bring the zoo a lot of money but the reality was that it delayed salaries for employees and starved animals to death.
"Starving the tigers and other animals to death was nothing more than bargaining with the government to pay debts for the zoo," the employee was quoted as saying.
The government of the provincial capital of Shenyang, 15 percent holder of the zoo, has allocated 7 million yuan to help it in animal protection and staff upgrades.
Wu Xi, a manager of the zoo, told the Nanfang Daily that the facility was mostly privately owned and the proprietor took the bulk of its takings to pay off debts and delayed wages. Wu said no more than 8 million yuan was spent on animals every year.
Yang Zhenhua, boss of the zoo, expressed his apologies on Sunday and promised to pay off all debts.
"The annual revenue was between 12 million yuan and 20 million yuan in recent years plus 2 million yuan from the local tourism authority," Wu said.
According to Wu, the zoo has been taken over by the local tourism watchdog and keepers received back pay on Sunday to resume work.
The 11 corpses of the tigers that starved have been frozen by the zoo, according to Wu.
"After each tiger died, we invited vets and experts from Shenyang Agricultural University to conduct autopsies and report results to animal protection authorities," Wu told Xinhua news agency.
"The tiger meat, skins and bones are kept in freezers."
However, a zoo worker who also spoke on condition of anonymity said the tiger bones were used to make liquor. "This liquor was served to important guests by the boss (Yang)," the worker said.
It is illegal to sell tiger parts in China.
Shenyang Wild Animal Protection Station said 13 Siberian tigers had died in the Shenyang zoo, including two shot dead while mauling a worker in November 2009.
A Japanese crane, a brown bear, a lion, several monkeys, camels and ostriches have also perished at the zoo.
"The zoo always has a peak season lasting more than six months, while admission tickets were sold for 80 yuan (US$11.72)," the senior employee with Shenyang Forest Wild Animal Zoo told the Nanfang Daily.
"If everything went smoothly, annual revenue should bring the zoo a lot of money but the reality was that it delayed salaries for employees and starved animals to death.
"Starving the tigers and other animals to death was nothing more than bargaining with the government to pay debts for the zoo," the employee was quoted as saying.
The government of the provincial capital of Shenyang, 15 percent holder of the zoo, has allocated 7 million yuan to help it in animal protection and staff upgrades.
Wu Xi, a manager of the zoo, told the Nanfang Daily that the facility was mostly privately owned and the proprietor took the bulk of its takings to pay off debts and delayed wages. Wu said no more than 8 million yuan was spent on animals every year.
Yang Zhenhua, boss of the zoo, expressed his apologies on Sunday and promised to pay off all debts.
"The annual revenue was between 12 million yuan and 20 million yuan in recent years plus 2 million yuan from the local tourism authority," Wu said.
According to Wu, the zoo has been taken over by the local tourism watchdog and keepers received back pay on Sunday to resume work.
The 11 corpses of the tigers that starved have been frozen by the zoo, according to Wu.
"After each tiger died, we invited vets and experts from Shenyang Agricultural University to conduct autopsies and report results to animal protection authorities," Wu told Xinhua news agency.
"The tiger meat, skins and bones are kept in freezers."
However, a zoo worker who also spoke on condition of anonymity said the tiger bones were used to make liquor. "This liquor was served to important guests by the boss (Yang)," the worker said.
It is illegal to sell tiger parts in China.
Shenyang Wild Animal Protection Station said 13 Siberian tigers had died in the Shenyang zoo, including two shot dead while mauling a worker in November 2009.
A Japanese crane, a brown bear, a lion, several monkeys, camels and ostriches have also perished at the zoo.
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