Tiger Shot Dead After Man Enters Enclosure at Zoo
A man was mauled to death by a tiger at Youngor Wildlife Park in Ningbo, China, on Sunday after entering the tiger enclosure. One of the tigers was shot by a zookeeper after the attack. Yet again, captivity has taken an animal’s life.
BREAKING: Tiger shot dead after man enters tiger enclosure at zoo in #China. https://t.co/M2Ftc0gxM1 #CaptivityKills ? pic.twitter.com/t2TW8U70H3
— PETA Asia (@PETAAsia) January 31, 2017
Zoos and safari parks give people the false idea that these animals are little more than cuddly kitties who can be used and abused for our entertainment. But captivity doesn’t extinguish tigers’ instincts.
Attacks by captive big cats on people—which occur with staggering regularity—illustrate the profound level of stress, anxiety, and agitation that these animals experience every day of their lives. Zoos cannot tame tigers, and captivity is a living hell for them. They cannot engage in any of the activities that give their lives meaning, and as a result, they may lash out.
Zoos and safari parks are profit-driven ventures that exist to make money, not to protect animals.
This tragedy is exactly why PETA urges families to stay away from any facility that displays animals for humans to gawk at.
PETA sends our condolences to the man’s family and hopes this incident will make zoos in China—and around the world—reconsider their continued confinement of big cats.
What You Can Do
Never patronize zoos. As long as people continue to buy tickets, animals will continue to suffer. Zoos will be forced to stop breeding animals and capturing them from the wild if visitors’ financial support disappears. Talk to family and friends—especially those with small children—who may be inclined to go, and explain to them that every ticket purchased directly contributes to animals’ misery.
