WATCH: Would You Enter a Tiger Enclosure to Win Money?

By Billy Jiang, September 22, 2023

With the highly anticipated October 'Golden Week' holiday just around the corner, many families are gearing up for travel adventures.

If you plan on visiting a zoo or wildlife sanctuary, you might want to tread carefully, as some of these animal experiences come with a bit of a bite!

Jiangsu Provincial Government recently issued an announcement regarding a local wildlife park in Changzhou City that advertised a potentially dangerous experience through its official WeChat account and vlog platforms.

The park, known as Yancheng Wildlife Park, had promoted an activity called "Live with Tigers! Earn RMB100,000 per hour!" which enticed visitors with the promise of a substantial cash reward for participating in the risky endeavor.

The park offered this controversial experience as part of its promotional efforts, aiming to allow brave participants to spend an hour in close proximity to tigers.

However, the potentially life-threatening nature of this experience raised concerns among government authorities and animal rights advocates.

In response to the situation, the local government imposed an administrative penalty of RMB250,000 on the wildlife park.

The penalty was issued for promoting a high-risk activity that could endanger the safety of visitors.

Video report on "Tiger Tent." Video by Henan Broadcasting Systerm/大象新闻

This unusual situation dates back to April 1, 2023, when Yancheng Wildlife Park initially intended to conduct the event under controlled conditions, ensuring the safety of participants and even inviting government officials to assess the safety measures.

However, the unpredictable behavior of the wild white tigers led to an unexpected outcome. Rather than coexisting peacefully with the participants, the tigers reacted aggressively to the new presence in their territory.

This resulted in the immediate destruction of the tents set up for the experience, rendering the activity impossible to carry out.

Despite this setback, the wildlife park expressed its determination to continue with the "Tiger Tent" experience, albeit with different animals that possess milder temperaments.

While many people appreciate the chance to get up close and personal with wild animals, this incident serves as a reminder of the importance of prioritizing safety when offering such experiences.

Choosing animals with lower levels of aggression and potential danger should be a top priority to ensure the safety of both visitors and the animals themselves.

So, if you're planning a trip to the zoo during the holidays, remember to consider the temperament of the animals you'll be visiting.

After all, while a bit of adventure can be exhilarating, it's essential to ensure everyone, humans and animals alike, stays safe.

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[Cover image via China Consumer News/中国消费者报]