Fat tigers in China. “I just have a fluffy bone”: fat Amur tigers amused the Network

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Visitors to the Chinese zoo for Amur tigers in the city of Harbin noticed predators that had gained a lot of weight. If usually the animals jumped deftly and quickly, now they can only roll from side to side. The exact cause of these physical changes is unknown.

According to some reports, zoo workers attributed the physical changes in tigers to the winter period, during which animals often gain weight, like bears. By spring, the excess weight will go away, according to zoo representatives.

However, the president of the international animal welfare organization Born Free Foundation, Will Travers, said it was not normal for tigers to gain such weight and they needed urgent help. In his opinion, such changes indicate poor nutrition, poor attitude and difficult living conditions. Travers added that tigers should not be laughed at as they are seriously ill.

Some zoo visitors have suggested that the tigers have become fat because they are fed too often by tourists.

In August 2015, writer and traveler Jarryd Salem published an article pointing out that animals at the zoo are often overfed with chicken, goat and beef, which leads to obesity. In total, the zoo contains about 800 Amur tigers.

Photos of noticeably plump Amur tigers from the Harbin Zoo in northeastern China have appeared online. Fat animals waddling lazily from side to side have practically become the new meme on social media, but some animal rights activists are concerned about their welfare.

In the photographs, the tigers look very unusual: some have become so fat that it seems they cannot even get up from the ground.
The photos made many social media users laugh.

« When I die, I hope I return to this world as a fat tiger."

« I’d probably be a shitty wild animal, just like that fat tiger.”

According to zoo staff, fat tigers are normal in winter. The animals' daily diet is specially increased so that they can more easily survive the cold months; by spring, cats should lose excess weight.

Despite this, one of the largest animal rights organizations, the Born Free Foundation, suggests that tigers have serious health problems.

Will Travers, president of the organization, told the publication that fattening tigers in winter is absolutely pointless and even harms the animals.

Judging by the photographs, the tigers are at the stage of obesity, this is an indicator of an inappropriate and unnatural diet. This also suggests that the animals did not have the opportunity to behave in the same way as in the wild. In my opinion, it's not funny or cute. These animals are sick.

Previously, the Harbin Zoo has already become the subject of discussion. Its employees were accused of negligence and cruelty: according to journalists, they abused animals, hiding food from them, and tourists were allowed to buy live chickens directly from the zoo and feed them to the tigers.

From the Chinese zoo in the city of Harbin, they instantly spread throughout the Internet. VKontakte users having fun, posting posts with photographs of predators with captions: “When grandma came to stay,” “It doesn’t matter what’s outside, the main thing is what’s inside,” “This is a fat Amur tiger, add it to your wall and you’ll get a pass in physics,” “Apparently, the Chinese New Year was full of olives,” “I think we found your totem animal,” and similar jokes.

As reported in the British version of the newspaper Metro, the reliable reason for the obesity of Amur tigers is unknown. “But when in good shape and in the wild, tigers are extremely fast and agile animals that run swiftly and hunt deftly. And these poor wild cats can only lie on the floor,” the publication notes.

Zoo staff, in turn, claim that animals always gain weight in winter to protect themselves from the cold. According to them, excess weight will cease to be a problem by spring.

Will Travers, the president of the international animal welfare organization Born Free Foundation, strongly disagrees with the Chinese zoo workers. “Tigers are obese, which indicates an incorrect and harmful diet and inadequate physical activity. In my opinion, this is not funny or cute at all. These animals feel bad, they get sick,” he said.