The repetitive walking, which has carved a deep (circular) track into the ground of the enclosure, is believed to be a psychological response of the seemingly depressed tiger who is unable to roam around freely.
The repetitive movements of a captive tiger in a tiny enclosure at a Chinese zoo is breaking hearts online. In the heartbreaking footage, the Bengal tiger can be seen walking in endless circles in a small outdoor exercise area as tourists observe him from a walkway above. The repetitive walking, which has carved a deep (circular) track into the ground of the enclosure, is believed to be a psychological response of the seemingly depressed tiger who is unable to roam around freely. According to Daily Mail, the Beijing Zoo revealed that the big cat was given "psychological counseling" after the keepers notice this strange behavior at the end of March.
The 'depressed' tiger was seen really struggling with his environment 😞 https://t.co/jqh66y1tuQ— Did You Know? (@Know) April 21, 2020
The devastating clip, which has reportedly garnered more than 10 million views, shows the tiger pacing continuously in its unchanged circular path. As expected, the horrifying video sparked outrage from Chinese web users and animal lovers, who expressed their concerns about the captive animal's health conditions. One commenter, according to the outlet, wrote: There is no enough room [for the tiger]. It’s ill, mentally ill. Another expressed: The tiger looks depressed. When the Beijing Zoo was contacted for a comment, they said that the video wasn't filmed recently as the Bengal tiger was taken away from display at the end of March after zookeepers noticed its strange behavior.
Tiger that keeps turning around in circles in BeijingZoo pic.twitter.com/xE1V9KENfj— 1MM足迹 (@1mm_tv) April 19, 2020
"This kind of behavior is expected after animals have stayed in a zoo for a long time," said a staff member while speaking to the press. They further claimed that the tiger was given the required "counseling" to help the animal return to its former state of mind. "We have taken the animal to receive behavior training. We also brought more food and toys for the tiger. It’s like 'psychological counseling,'" continued the zookeeper. However, Doctor Sun Quanhua, a senior scientific adviser at the non-profit World Animal Protection China, revealed that the living conditions of animals inside China's facilities are a cause for concern, reports Express.
While speaking with the South China Morning Post, he shared that zoos run by the local government are better supervised when compared to that of private wildlife parks where the animals' living conditions are worrisome. "Let’s just give the example of how beasts of prey are kept. In almost every Chinese zoo, we see them in cement cages or behind steel bars, which to some extent is considered maltreatment. Some are species that naturally live in groups, but they’re often isolated, which also causes them huge psychological distress," explained Dr. Sun.
He then goes on to blame China's inadequate laws to address important issues such as these. According to the outlet, China has a wildlife protection law which classifies wildlife based on their scarcity, however, there is no legislation ensuring the rights of other animals. This alarming clip comes shortly after another appalling footage which showed Chinese visitors using fishing poles to feed captive tigers under their so-called "interactive programme" provided by a wildlife zoo. The viral video showed a group of tourists including some kids, leaning against a balcony while swinging their fishing poles attached with raw meat to lure the tigers on the ground.
Yunnan Safari Park in south-eastern China, where the activity is believed to have existed for at least seven years, came under public scrutiny after the clip went viral on Chinese social media. The program, which was branded as an "interactive program to educate visitors about nature and wildlife," was slammed for being cruel on Chinese website Weibo, which is similar to Twitter. [The activity allowed] tourists to poke fun at all the animals. Wild animals shouldn't be used as a tool for the park to make a profit! wrote one user according to Daily Mail. Where are your morals to make this kind of money? How can you protect them when you can't give them the least of respect? The zoo has reportedly canceled the activity permanently ever since then.