http://news.sky.com/skynews/video/vi...-1266788,.html
Basically there is a zoo in china that has some shocking conditions that their animals live in that is considered abuse... but what they consider the worst part gives me mixed emotions... and that is how they feed the tigers.
The folks who did the investigating were shocked and appaulled that they have an area for a mob of siberian tigers who are fed live animals in front of an audience. This blue truck comes in and dumps out a live cow and for 4 bucks a piece, people can use this special window to feed the tigers a live chicken.
Yes that sounds appaulling all right but think about it... tigers were meant for and made to hunt and kill. What do they do in captivity? Even though the cow is delivered by truck, at least it's not handed to them on a silver platter so they can gobble down and go back to being bored right?
You ever see how cats pace in zoos? I'm not talking walking back and forth rubbing the bars and looking around... but that manic pacing where their feet hit the exact same spot each time and the tiger has that glazed look in his eyes? That's extreme boredom and there are still zoos that offer nothing for their tigers to do... no enrichment programs so to speak.
Also, the fact that tourists have to pay to watch the spectacle live and pay for a live chicken like they would a cone of grain for goats, keeps the tigers well fed. Is it really that cruel that they are still alive? I mean people watch nature shows all the time to watch tigers and lions in the wild hunt but no one puts a human aspect or face on wild animals.. and the only difference is both animals are wild and doing what nature does....
Or maybe I'm just heartless as I think some probably will think. Who knows. But I just don't see the difference between putting live cows and chickens in a tiger enclosure and putting live crickets in an aquarium with a pet bearded dragon. And if it were'nt for the rest of the zoo with it's very poor conditions I wonder if anyone would care at all.