On January 4, 2024, in Harbin, the White Fox Experience Area of the Ice and Snow Carnival Park on the Songhua River, it costs 30 yuan to hold a white fox, and it takes more than ten minutes to queue. Visual China / Figure
In January 2024, Yang Lan, an Evenki ethnic group, wearing national costumes and leading reindeer, was surrounded by groups as soon as she walked onto the central street of Harbin.
Countless hands reach out to the docile reindeer. Although the reindeer did not show signs of fear or agitation, the attentive Yang Lan found that they did not like the fact that humans who had applied hand cream and perfume to touch their faces and always turned their heads.
This winter, "pouring wealth" smashed into "Erbin" and other northeastern cities, and there were animals that are not usually common.
The white fox was "confused" by the tourists in the scenic spot, and his eyes were tired; camels and ostriches carried people to walk on the ice of the Songhua River, and their hometown was not in the northeast, nor on the Songhua River, but in the desert and grassland; the red-crowned crane, a national first-class key protected wild animal, was dressed in a strip of cloth called "Hegang Small Skewers" and was dragged by people with ropes to walk the bend.
"It's so cute. "I'm sour. "No matter what kind of work you do, it's a little resentful. Most netizens commented with envy or ridicule, and few questioned these phenomena.
And in animal protection circles, criticism is one-sided. Some people think that this breaks the boundary between humans and animals, and some people feel that certain practices are suspected of violating animal welfare. Hua Yi, a natural science writer, said that the mainstream view in the animal protection community is that the purpose of animal display should be to guide people to establish a correct concept of nature, such as understanding nature, respecting nature, and keeping a certain distance from nature. "We want to push this view into the mainstream of society, but at the moment it is not. ”
Reindeer descending the mountain
Yang Lan had never seen so many people on the streets of Harbin in winter.
On Central Street, people walk slowly next to each other, and Yang Lan "has only seen it in photos, and the Great Wall on National Day is like this." The traffic on the Internet is even greater, and there are locals who broadcast live on the Internet, without the need for "whole work" (Northeast dialect means to do performances and do things), and just photographing pedestrians on the central street attracts 1,000 people to watch online at the same time.
As early as December 24, 2017, the reindeer appeared on the central street of Harbin, attracting many tourists to take pictures. Visual China / Figure
Yang Lan is an Evenki ethnic group living in the Great Khing'an Mountains, and the Evenks are the only ethnic group in China that breeds and uses reindeer. At the beginning of January, she and her partners brought six reindeer to Harbin from Genhe City, Inner Mongolia, the "cold pole of China". They deliberately selected male reindeer, and the large antlers fit people's impression of reindeer.
The purpose of the Evenks going to Harbin is very simple: they hope to let more people know their hometown with the help of reindeer and huge traffic.
It was not surprising that the reindeer were on fire, the fire was more than expected. "What ethnicity are you?" "Where are you from?" "Why did you bring the reindeer?" "Can I touch it?" "Can I take a picture with you?" That day, Yang Lan and her friends were in a state of excitement, answering questions over and over again.
Despite their popularity, reindeer only took to the streets briefly. The next day, Yang Lan took them back to their hometown.
"If another platform reaches out to us and asks us to take the reindeer for a few days, I think I might refuse. Yang Lan, who has calmed down from the flow, said.
It's too noisy on the street. "The reindeer probably never thought it would be surrounded and petted by so many people, and I feel that it is also in a very confused state. Yang Lan said. Someone took a video and posted it on the Internet, and the Evenks shouted at the tourists: "Don't make a loud noise, the reindeer are quiet." ”
Yang Lan feels sorry for the reindeer, usually her son is reluctant to ride her, and she regards the reindeer as a family member. "It's enough to show up and let everyone know. If it is there for a long time in the form of commerce, the reindeer do not like it, and the Evenks will not do it. ”
The white fox appears
The popularity can be comparable to that of reindeer, and the white fox in the Songhua River Ice and Snow Carnival Scenic Area. Holding a fox and taking a photo has become a new check-in item for Harbin.
Although the person in charge of the scenic spot said in an interview with the media that five or six white foxes pick up customers in shifts, and they will rest for an hour every three or four hours of work. But the high-intensity part-time job seems to make the white fox a little unbearable, in the video, the white fox often closes his eyes to "swing rotten", and occasionally when he opens his eyes, his eyes seem to express exhaustion and helplessness.
In the National Catalogue of Livestock and Poultry Genetic Resources published by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, silver foxes (non-edible) and arctic foxes (non-edible) are among them, which means that they belong to domestic livestock and poultry like pigs, cattle, sheep and other animals.
Qi Xinzhang, deputy director of Xining Wildlife Park, said that many of the white foxes farmed are white red foxes, or hybrid offspring of red foxes and arctic foxes, which are not a special species, but the products of breeding farms. It is not a wild animal, it was first bred as a fur animal and later as a pet.
Many businesses see business opportunities. "Harbin with the same white fox delivery tourist attractions. Sister Hong, a fox farmer in Baoding, Hebei Province, advertises on social media.
Sister Hong told Southern Weekend that the price of each white fox soared from the usual 1,000 yuan to about 2,000 yuan this winter, and it was once sold out. Her farm sells about 40 foxes to Harbin, mainly white foxes, but also red foxes, most of which are purchased by individuals, and a small number are purchased by scenic spots. A customer in Harbin bought 10 of them at a time to take pictures with tourists. There are currently no formalities or other relevant requirements for the purchase of foxes.
Sister Hong said that there are currently a few people who keep foxes as pets. If you start raising it from a young age, foxes can be raised, which is similar to raising a puppy. Foxes rarely get sick, canine plague and parvovirus can be prevented by vaccination, and rabies vaccination is also recommended. The farm has been breeding docile and beautiful breeds, and "maybe there will be more and more pet foxes in the future".
But Sister Hong reminded that because foxes have a long history of being domesticated by humans like dogs, there are also a small number of foxes who are not relatives. At the end of December 2023, some tourists were scratched by a white fox in the Songhua River Ice and Snow Carnival Scenic Area, and their faces and noses were bleeding. In an interview with the media, the staff of the scenic spot said that although the white fox has a docile personality, it is impossible to guarantee that it will not bite 100%. According to the plan, the tourists have been vaccinated against rabies, and the cost will be borne by the scenic spot.
Birds work
Another animal that has caused a lot of discussion is the red-crowned crane from Hegang – the name of Hegang seems to have nothing to do with the red-crowned crane, but the Manchu word for "satisfied", which means "hunting here is always satisfying".
"Netinfo Hegang" said on the short video platform that this red-crowned crane "came to pet the beans in the south".
But red-crowned cranes don't seem to show any pampering for humans. In the video, the red-crowned crane is surrounded by groups of tourists, and its legs are shaking.
Polarized on the Internet, some people question that wild animals are prone to stress reactions in front of so many people, and they should not toss the red-crowned crane, but some locals feel too worried, thinking that the red-crowned crane they usually see is not afraid of people, but people are afraid of its big long beak pecking people.
A number of animal protection experts told Southern Weekend that the red-crowned crane in the video is suspected of having its feathers cut off or its wings, and has been walked on a leash, which is suspected of cruelty to wild animals.
According to The Paper, on January 29, 2024, the Heilongjiang Provincial Forestry and Grassland Bureau replied in writing to animal protection volunteers: bringing red-crowned cranes to Harbin Central Street to display and perform "without administrative permission", and the responsible units will be punished in accordance with laws and regulations.
In an interview with Cover News, the Hegang Forestry and Grassland Bureau said that the red-crowned crane had returned safely to the Hegang Children's Park where it was located and would track its physical condition. Southern Weekend reporters called the Hegang Forestry and Grassland Bureau several times, but never got through.
Ostriches, which are also birds like red-crowned cranes, are not so lucky, and they continue to "work" in the ice and snow.
Brother Xian, an animal trainer from Hunan, rode an ostrich on the streets of Harbin, which was rare and novel, attracting crowds of onlookers. After the fire, the ostrich was also invited to participate in the opening ceremony of the Ice and Snow World.
Brother Xian was invited by farmers to train ostriches in Harbin. A trained ostrich is equipped with a saddle and can carry people on a walk. Brother Xian has also done ostrich riding in popular tourist destinations such as Sanya and Dali, charging 100-150 yuan/person. It only takes about a week to train an ostrich.
Brother Xian told the Southern Weekend reporter that ostrich riding has been carried out in China for about 20 years, and there are currently more than a dozen scenic spots in the country that can ride ostriches. Ostriches are farmed for food, fur or tourism. The market price of small ostriches is a few hundred yuan, the market price of large ostriches is several thousand yuan, and ostriches that can be ridden can be sold for tens of thousands of yuan.
In 2020, ostriches were included in the "National Catalogue of Livestock and Poultry Genetic Resources", which is managed by poultry and has farmers all over the country. At present, there is no ostrich-specific vaccine, and the vaccine used for chickens, ducks and geese is used instead.
On February 25, 2023, in Longtong Village, Yangqiao Tujia Township, Cengong County, southeast of Guizhou, villagers are feeding ostriches. Visual China / Figure
"Most people have never seen such a novel behavior (of ostrich riding), and ostrich riding can attract traffic to the scenic spot. When talking about the role of ostriches, Brother Xian also used the fashionable word "empowerment".
Some netizens questioned: The ostrich's legs look so thin, can it really carry people? Brother Xian explained that the ostrich's legs are very similar to people's wrists, and they look thin from the side, but they look thick from the front. He did a test in which two adult males rode on the back of an ostrich at the same time, and the ostrich was able to walk normally.
There is a lack of consensus answers
With the suspension of the Forestry and Grassland Bureau and other departments, the animals in the cultural tourism have gradually faded out, but how different animals should be displayed, not only is there a huge gap in public attitudes, but even the animal protection circle has not yet reached a consensus.
For example, should the reindeer exhibited for the purpose of promoting national culture and the white fox taking photos with humans for commercial reasons be judged from the same perspective? Should the red-crowned crane, a wild animal under national key protection, and the ostriche, which belong to domestic animals and poultry, follow the same evaluation scale? If the original destination of the white fox and the ostrich was a slaughterhouse, would it not have extended their life expectancy by letting them "work" on the streets?
For example, some people believe that the protection of animals should be treated equally, and some people disagree, for example, many animal protectors are not vegetarians.
Qi Xinzhang also has an understanding of this. "From the perspective of animal welfare, taking the white fox as an example, some people think that the white fox is a fur animal, as long as there is no particularly obvious abuse, such a display is fine, and some people think that if the white fox is identified as a pet, being touched and hugged by many people is also an act of infringing on animal welfare. ”
This is not the first time that similar controversies have emerged. In Harbin in 2023, the dog pulling the sled has caused many people to feel distressed, and "netizens suggested that Harbin cancel the dog pulling the plow" rushed to the first place on the hot search list of a video platform.
In the face of this kind of problem, Qi Xinzhang has his own set of evaluation logic. First, distinguish between the nature of the animal, whether it is a protected wild animal or an unprotected animal, and secondly, evaluate animal welfare and determine whether there is abuse in training and performance.
According to the above two dimensions, four scenarios can be deduced. One is to use protected animals for abusive performances, which is the most unacceptable to the public, walking red-crowned cranes belongs to this category, common examples are bear riding, tigers jumping fire rings and other circus performances; Cockfighting, or even fishing, can be guided by norms to gradually change the way of training and display; Fourth, non-protected animals perform non-abusive performances, and there is no reason to refuse and boycott.
Qi Xinzhang believes that the ultimate goal of animal performances and displays should be to show the natural behavior of animals, and to carry out public publicity and popular science education. However, if the principles of "animal protection" and "non-cruel performance" are not violated, even if the animal performance does not bring scientific value, it is just to make the public happy or generate commercial income. For example, in 2023, a stray cat that was "adopted" in Wuhan East Lake Ocean Park volunteered to perform parallel bars.
Behind the controversy, there is also a split in the perspective of animal welfare.
For example, the views on whether or not dog meat can be eaten are completely opposed.
Even with a higher education, attitudes towards animal welfare are very different. Zhao Huiyu, an associate professor at Shanghai Jiao Tong University's Kaiyuan Law School, represents three types of mainstream views: students who have been doing research with her for a long time have the fullest understanding of animal welfare, and agree that animals have five basic rights and interests: physiology, environment, hygiene, psychology and behavior; new students do not know what the concept of animal welfare is, but are willing to understand it; and some students are somewhat resistant to animal welfare, feeling that it is too extravagant to talk about animal welfare at the current stage of development.
Another misconception is that wild animals are "petted". For example, it is hoped that wild animals will "eat more and grow fatter", and the "Internet celebrity wolf" in the wasteland is a typical case.
"The hospitable hosts wanted to bring out all the rare specialties to entertain the guests. Zhao Huiyu said that he can understand the mentality that drives animals to the streets, and animals are also rare specialties, "Many people think that hugging a white fox is to express their love for animals and nature, but they don't realize that love itself does not mean zero distance contact." ”
Not breaking down the boundaries between humans and animals is a testament to the One Health, which is a zoonotic source of many global pandemics.
Animal welfare legislation is difficult
"The biggest problem at the moment is the lack of animal welfare laws on the mainland. Yang Yi, a popular science writer and former zoo keeper, said bluntly. The Wildlife Protection Law protects wild animals in the wild, and animals such as red-crowned cranes, artificially strained arctic foxes, and ostriches raised in pens are not protected.
Yang Yi said that the Wildlife Protection Law does not stipulate the content of animal performances. Some animal performances are managed by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, urban zoos are managed by the Department of Housing and Urban-Rural Development, some wildlife parks are managed by the Department of Forestry and Grassland, and aquatic animals are managed by the Department of Agriculture. As a result, animal performances tend to become a grey area where they "kick the ball" at each other.
Zhao Huiyu introduced that more than 100 countries and regions in the world have promulgated laws to protect animal welfare and fight against animal cruelty, but China has not yet introduced them. On the other hand, China's special farming industry is an industry with a market size of 100 billion yuan, and the introduction of an animal welfare law will obviously have a negative impact on the industry.
In recent years, at the national and local "two sessions", some deputies or committee members have put forward bills and suggestions on animal welfare and the law on the prevention of animal cruelty.
In this regard, the opinions of the relevant competent departments believe that the Animal Husbandry Law, the Wildlife Protection Law, the Regulations on the Administration of Pig Slaughtering, the Regulations on the Management of Laboratory Animals and other laws and regulations all have provisions on animal protection, and the legal system for animal protection is becoming more and more perfect. The issue of animal welfare should fully consider the current situation of economic and social development in the mainland, adapt to the development of animal husbandry, and be conducive to the effective and safe supply of livestock and poultry products. Animal welfare issues are closely related to ethnic, religious customs, ethics and morality, etc., and should be treated cautiously, and the prevention of animal cruelty or animal welfare issues should be gradually solved with the improvement of economic development and social civilization.
According to Huayi, local legislation on animal welfare is a viable solution at the moment.
In Zhao Huiyu's view, human cognition can be slowly bridged. She gave her own example: as a child, she didn't understand why eating dog meat attracted criticism from some people, and she felt a bit nosy. But as the economy grew, she was no longer deficient in animal protein, like most people, and her mindset changed as she communicated with the outside world and the information gap slowly closed, and she started to keep pets herself.
Southern Weekly reporter Lin Fangzhou Southern Weekly intern Zhao Ruijia
Editor-in-charge: Wang Tao