17.02.2025 09:30
A zoo in China painted donkeys to look like zebras and received a huge backlash. The careless painting process at the Zibo City Amusement Park in Shandong was quickly noticed, and the park management had to admit that the animals were actually donkeys.
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A zoo in China has faced significant backlash for attempting to increase visitor numbers by painting donkeys black and white to make them look like zebras.
The shoddy paint job at the Zibo City Amusement Park in Shandong province was quickly noticed, and the park management had to admit that the animals were actually donkeys.
Photos of the painted donkeys went viral on Chinese social media. Users accused the zoo of mistreating animals and deceiving visitors.
One social media user described the situation as "misleading and unethical," while another stated it was "an injustice to both the animals and the visitors."
Amusement park employees defended the practice as a marketing strategy to increase daily visitor numbers, claiming that the paint used was non-toxic and did not harm the animals.
Animal rights advocates expressed concerns about the welfare of the painted animals, stating that such practices could lead to stress and health issues for the animals.
This incident has sparked a broad discussion about the ethical implications of altering the appearance of animals for entertainment purposes. Many are calling for stricter regulations to prevent such practices in the future.
This is not the first incident of its kind in Chinese zoos. Last year, it was revealed that the Taizhou Zoo had painted dogs to resemble pandas. They even used a photo of this "new species" on park tickets and charged visitors about 70 lira for entry during the Labor Day holiday.
In videos taken by visitors, the dogs had their ears, legs, and the area around their eyes painted black, but their canine features were still prominent. The zoo later admitted that the "fake pandas" were actually painted chow chow dogs.
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