On December 12, 2002, a group of baby tigers from the Shengyang Zoo began their show in a shopping center in Shenyang, capital city of Liaoning Province. The program was designed to make money to support the parent tigers of the zoo. Authorities of the zoo said that it is hard to raise their 35 Northeast Chinese tigers who eat more than 100 kg beef a day. It is especially difficult for the zoo in winter because there are few visitors. In its report on these working tigers, the Liaoshen Evening News expressed its doubts: Would the closing touch with man make the baby tigers ill? Would the tigers feel uncomfortable in that kind of environment? Is it right to force baby tigers to work for money?

In the following days, citizens of Shenyang rushed to the shopping center to see these tigers. Many of them would like to pay some money for a photo taken with these little creatures. However, experts believe the closing touch between man and tiger would make the baby tigers infected with diseases and change their nature as a wild animal.

While relevant department insisted they had no other choice but use the tigers to make money, a staff member of the China Wildlife Conservation Association pointed out that wild animals should have their own living environment; the environment in the shopping center is not good for the protection of these wild animals.

On December 26, experts, representatives of relevant departments from Liaoning Province and Shenyang City, the Liaoning Wildlife Conservation and delegates from both the zoo and the shopping center held a meeting. It concluded that the baby tigers could work in the shopping center under the condition that the tigers’ show was renamed as “Popular Science Exhibit on the Protection of Northeast Chinese Tigers.” Meanwhile, the relevant departments of wildlife protection in the province and the city admitted that the show was not authorized by the State Forestry Administration.

Whom Were the Baby Tigers Working for?

What was the real motivation of these baby tigers’ 17-day work in the shopping center? It is simple and obvious. But behind the various reasons, there was the lack of the consciousness of wildlife protection.

During the whole event, the zoo insisted these baby tigers worked for helping solve the food shortage problem of their parent tigers. Since the tiger park is currently run by an individual businessman by contract, he wants to make, not lose money. The idea of the tigers’ working in the shopping center was accepted by the shopping center because the show would attract more shoppers and bring in profits. Customers had to pay 10 yuan (US$1.2) for visiting these baby tigers and an additional fee of 20 yuan (US$2.4) would be charged if they wanted to have a picture taken with one of the animals.

Actually, there are many ways to solve the financial difficulties of the tiger park. Protecting the wildlife is a public welfare undertaking. The zoo could solicit donations from the public, including companies like the shopping center.

Wild Nature of the Baby Tigers

Among the public opinions, one says that these tigers were born through artificial propagation, so it is not necessary for people to protect them as wildlife. But statistics show that there are now only 10-20 wild Northeast Chinese tigers living in China and the number of the world’s total is between 163 and 430. Northeast Chinese tiger is an endangered species of wildlife and it deserves careful protection.

(China.org.cn by Wu Nanlan January 16, 2003)