Circus ties endangered tiger down on a table so people can get selfies
Warning: This post contains a graphic and upsetting video.
Chinese circus trainers have been caught on video tying up a tiger for visitors to sit on and take pictures with.
The video, which has reached over 90,000 videos since it was posted on Chinese video platform iQiyi, shows the tiger first being tied down on a metal table.
Children and adults alike then take turns to sit on its back as they pose for photos.
The video is believed to be filmed at a circus in China's Hunan province, although it is unclear who recorded it.
One segment of the video shows a young child yelling "I'm scared, I'm scared", as his mother places him near the animal.
A trainer is then heard saying "Isn't it cool to sit on a tiger? It can keep you away from the devil and earn you promotions and wealth."
The act of sitting on a tiger is commonly associated with the God of Wealth in China, who is often pictured sitting on the animal.
Chinese netizens were quick to condemn the trainers, with many expressing sympathy for the animal.
"Poor tiger. The human race is too cruel," said one user on iQiyi.
"You can't earn much from this, and instead you've brought so much pain to the animal, do you think it's worth it?," another commented.
"What kind of values are these parents teaching their children?" a netizen asked.
The tiger is believed to be a Siberian tiger, which is on the brink of extinction with only 540 creatures left in the wild.
Topics Animals
Yvette is a Viral Content Reporter at Mashable Asia. She was previously reporting for BBC's Singapore bureau and Channel NewsAsia.
