Harbin, China has this Siberian Tiger Park that lists high on the city’s tourist attractions. It houses and breeds Siberian tigers in the name of conservation. For around fifteen dollars, one can gain entrance into the park and the opportunity to come face-to-face with the world’s largest feline. For another fifteen dollars, a Chinese “park ranger” will let you tempt, tease, and eventually feed the tigers a live chicken. Maybe that sounds too appealing. For a tourist with money to spare, it can be an uhhhhh unique experience. But for the earthlings on the other side of the fence, you are just another human flashing lights in their eyes.
Now here are some of my thoughts on it all:
It was effed up. Excuse my language but really messed up. Like going back in time messed up. In a way it was like watching the circus or a bull fight. Though, I wasn't really entertained. A guy I was with bought a chicken to feed to the tiger. A tiger eating a chicken isn't even the weirdest part. In fact, the woman selling the live chicken for our entertainment was. That tiger probably was either really hungry or really full. Tigers know how to be tigers. They know how to catch prey, travel in packs, and reach fresh drinking water. We humans don't need to come in and capture the tigers under the name of education. Maybe there is something to learn from the tiger park. But it has nothing to do with how tigers are tigers. It had everything to do with the sick ego of the human brain thinking it is superior to this animal. I thought about what makes us humans and what makes animals animals? Maybe it is the entertainment factor. Tigers aren't naturally entertaining. We have to keep them in a box and feed them chickens in order to like them.
I recognize this animal is currently endangered and that the park was build in 1996 with efforts to preserve the species. Props for effort, I suppose. However from what I observed during my visit, these cats do not have healthy living conditions. In one exhibit, visitors can see a full-grown adult lion or puma or panther trapped in a cage only big enough for it to walk back in forth out of mind-numbing, spirit-sucking boredom. Way to honor the king of the forest, mankind! You gave me yet another reason to ask the question: is it all really worth it? We [humans] destroy entire ecosystems, historical habitats, and irreplaceable species for what? More convenience in our consumerism? In times like these, I realize China is the last country you want to be in when you begin questioning your faith in human nature. You know, with its billion people and all.
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