A group of tigers at a zoo in China were given a special treat on Monday afternoon – a live donkey.
In a video that has gone viral on media, a reluctant donkey is seen being pushed out of the back of a truck into a moat surrounding the tiger enclosure inside the Yancheng Wild Animal World in Changzhou, Jiangsu province.
The donkey died after about half an hour of being mauled by the tigers. The video of the incident prompted a stream of angry comments on social media.
In the video, one of the predators hops onto the donkey’s back while it is in the water and snaps at its head and neck, while another stays on dry land and repeatedly paws at its face.
Despite putting up a valiant attempt at defence, the donkey is dragged by its neck when it attempts to swim away from the tigers.
Video Courtesy: YouTube
According to media reports, some men wearing red raincoats, drove up to the enclosure with a truck, pushed the donkey in and then tried to throw a goat in too, but were stopped by visitors and security staff.
A shareholder involved in a dispute with the zoo was reportedly behind the incident. He had arranged for the group of men to take some of the zoo’s animals, including the donkey, outside and sell them. However, while they were leaving, the security guard tried to stop them, irked by this, the men then tried to push the animals into the tiger enclosure.
Following the incident, social media users strongly criticised the action and called for more care for animals in zoos.
