China Feeds Live Goats to Lions in Zoo - as Children Watch

by Swan | February 9, 2008 at 09:42 am | 2753 views | 13 comments | 22 recommendations

OP-ED

The smiling children giggled as they patted the young goat on its head and tickled it behind the ears. Some of the more boisterous ones tried to clamber onto the animal's back but were soon shaken off with a quick wiggle of its bottom.

It could have been a happy scene from a family zoo anywhere in the world but for what happened next.

That goat was hoisted over the rail and dragged to it's death in the lion pens as the children watched.

On the heels of the inhumanity coming out of China, comes a story of such epic animal cruelty proportions, that I had difficulty finishing this article.

Badaltearing Safari Park has all manner of entertainment prepared for it's spectators. One of the "highlights" is feeding terrified, bleating, live goats to a pack of hungy lions.

I found it frightening that instead of the children being upset for the goat (as I think, or I should say - hope!) would happen here in the U.S., they watched on in awe and even began to clap as the goat weakly bleated in it's death throse - lions feeding from it's still pulsing stomach- blood staining it's once white fur.

Have Chinese children become so desensitized to the presence of such cruelty, that they see it as mainstream life in China? How could they not react like children - instead of bloodthirsty little cretins?

As I watched the video (included) of people sitting safely in the Park touring bus, cheering the lions on and laughing - I was reminded of the Roman Colisseum, alive with excited yelling, as Christians were forced into the arena to fight the lions or die.

There was only one thing different between these scenes - the Christians at least had a fighting chance - the live, frightened animals being sacrificed today - have none.

It also makes me wonder how people can still be as openly bloodthirsty in a public environment where they can be open to worldwide criticism.

However, that criticism seems to be short on value - since it appears that the world at large will be supporting China and the Olympic Games later this year, even as they play tourist and visit the zoo.

How many people will happily snap photos of the live feedings, to show their family and friends when they return home? I guarantee there will be plenty - which of course fuels the Chinese attitude towards these activities being guaranteed as tourism money spinners.

I'm disgusted - and looking at the video and other images should disgust you too.

I don't have any particular love or admiration of goats and I don't belong to PETA - but goats are still living animals who feel the same sheer terror and pain that we would feel, if it were us being torn to shreds by the teeth and claws of several predators.

Other "feeding" activities for the lions include spectators being able to "buy" a live chicken tied to the end of a bamboo stick, to tease the "kitties" as they sqawk and flap their wings in crazed, unsuccessful attempts to escape.

The cacophany and scent draws the lions to the area and they become frenzied with blood lust as they leap and rip the chicken from the pole.

Sickening.

One commenter on the Off Sprung web site said:

It's Manchurian Candidate-style brainwashing, trick photography, and lead in their food that makes them believe it's only goats and chickens. Those are really political dissidents and labor activists.

Not such a far-out statement to make, when one remembers the recent horrors that prisoners have been subjected to in Chinese prisons.

The sources that I've quoted must be read - they absolutely MUST be read - something has to be done about the cruelty perpetrated in China, to both human and animal alike.

Or do we as a civilized people, simply write it off as: "yes I know it's horrible, but there's nothing that I can do about it."

You're wrong - if you own a blog - if you have a web site - or if you're able to add content anywhere on the web - attention must be drawn to the ongoing cruelty perpetrated in China, before it morphs and becomes even worse.

The Olympic Games should be boycotted, in order to show our extreme opposition to the barbaric laws that place people in prison for years on end, without justifiable reason - and for their treatment of animals.

To his credit and to my surprise - even Prince Charles has declined his invitation by the Chinese government - and is publically boycotting the Games.

You can do something too - please, do something - research and find out about other atrocities in China - and then write about it!

We could even make it Now Public project. 2000 entries into news about the horrific events in China - could just make a difference.
~ Swan

Sources:

Offsprung - Apocolypsia
Watch Simba eat live animals! by Regina

Reuters/UK
Prince Charles Will Not Attend Beijing Olympics by Andrew Hough

Daily Mail

Animals torn to pieces by lions in front of baying crowds: the spectator sport China DOESN'T want you to see - by Danny Penman

Image Sources:

ABC News

Chinese Zoo Puts on a Show, but Mistreats Animals by Beth Lloyd

Daily Mail

Animals torn to pieces by lions in front of baying crowds: the spectator sport China DOESN'T want you to see - by Danny Penman

Offsprung - Apocolypsia

Watch Simba eat live animals! by Regina

Video - You Tube

recommend Add a comment

jordan

flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 11:18 on February 9th, 2008

I'm really glad you posted this- on one hands, lions eat live prey; they just do. On the other hand, though, this sort of display isn't about just feeding the big cats- it's about spectacle. That's what people are really latching onto, which is pretty normal: we seem to indentify with systematic cruelty towards animals more than we do with cruelty towards people.

Swan

at 12:42 on February 9th, 2008

Hello Jordan,

Yes, strangely enough watching the Discovery Channel or Animal Planet showing lions with live kills doesn't upset me at all - precisely because it is the law of nature.

Yet the plights of these poor goats and chickens is still plaguing me even now and sadly, I think I'm the only reporter on Now Public who would even want to write about it.

My effort and driving need to write about this atrocity, will simply fall on deaf ears.
~ Swan

insaniac

flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 11:24 on February 9th, 2008

Swan, I like this story. It's good stuff.

Swan

at 12:43 on February 9th, 2008

Hello Insaniac,

I do appreciate you stopping by and flagging my story - thank you!
~ Swan

insaniac

at 11:26 on February 9th, 2008

Goats and lions should settle their differences in private.

Miyspirit

at 12:08 on February 9th, 2008

A super report....different strokes for different parts of the world....I would not want my kids to see such things at the zoo here...!

Swan

at 14:10 on February 9th, 2008

Hey Miyspirit,

Can you imagine? "C'mon sweetie, grandma's coming to take you to the zoo and you'll be able to see a goat torn to bits and bleeding and crying and everything! But only if you're good!"

Oh my dear Lord!

Thanks for coming by Miyspirit, I always enjoy your comments.
~ Swan

azer

flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 13:00 on February 9th, 2008

The difference is that lions need to catch live prey in the wild - they don't need to do that in the zoo.

In the zoo it's possible to humanely put the goat to sleep before feeding it to the lion.

Once
again: somebody with poor judgement has been placed in a position of
responsibility and other people are getting the wrong kind of encouragement as a result.

jordan

at 13:18 on February 9th, 2008

Exactly. As Swan also mentions, the difference between this and a doco is that the whole encounter is staged, sort of a goat snuff film, whereas, in the wild, even the cinematographers are part of the food chain.

Swan

at 13:54 on February 9th, 2008

Hello Azer,

Thank you for your comments and flag - I do appreciate that you came by.

Exactly! They could just as easily have thrown a humanely killed, fresh, dead goat into the area - but feeding the lions isn't a priority at that time - in fact one of the reports tells that the lions are even overfed!

The people there just don't give a damn!

It's all for sensationalism and Renminbi.
~Swan