Epoch 2/6/04: Nanning Zoo in South China Puts Wild Animals On the Menu

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http://english.epochtimes.com/news/4-2-6/19469.html

Feb 06, 2004

Chinese Zoo Puts Wild Animals On the Menu

 

A flock of Flamingo in a pond at a Shanghai zoo. During the Chinese

New Year, Nanning Zoo in southern China astonished visitors by

offering ostrich meat and peacock soup. AFP PHOTO.

 

During the Chinese New Year, Nanning Zoo in southern China astonished

visitors by offering ostrich meat and peacock soup. Everyday an 80

kilogram ostrich and two 3 kilogram peacocks were cooked for

visitors. One confused visitor asked, " A zoo is supposed to be good

place for animals to live, now it's a good place for people to taste

the animals. What's going on? "

 

At the gate of Nanning Zoo people visiters see a sign that reads,

" Come Try Ostrich Meat and Peacock Soup. " " Delicious Free Food, First

Come, First Serve " was also on a billboard for the 2004 Zoo Carnival,

according to the Southern Morning News.

 

Upon seeing these " meat and soup " advertisements, a visitor named

Yang said he felt uncomfortable, " A zoo is supposed to be a place for

a citizen to watch and get intimate with the animals. But now it's

trying to amuse visitors with meat and soup made from the animals.

It's really disturbing. "

 

Another confused Nanning citizen Mr. Lee said during this Chinese New

Year, the zoo on one hand promoted a project for citizens to adopt

monkeys, and on the other hand it cooked the same animals it was

putting on display to attract visitors. " That's too much, " he said.

 

A staff member from the zoo explained that the purpose of this

activity was mainly to let people understand that the zoo not only

displayed animals but also raised animals for eating, which has

economic value.

 

During the Chinese New Year, the zoo made 3,000 yuan on cooked

animals that it bred artificially. The staff member said the zoo has

received some negative feedback, but the zoo visitors who have come

to eat the cooked animals has increased.

 

Translated from the Chinese edition of The Epoch Times

 

 

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