According to a report by "Chinese Philanthropist" magazine on May 13: Recently, the reporter's investigation found that Anhui Fuyang Wildlife Park illegally displayed and artificially bred the Siberian tiger, a national first-class protected animal, without obtaining an artificial breeding license. What's even more shocking is that the zoo has seen a large number of wild animals die, including 20 Siberian tigers, 2 African lions, 3 giraffes and other rare wild animals. At present, there are 16 Siberian tigers, African lions, giraffes, black bears and other animals alive in the park, which have been locked in transportation cages for a long time, with a small space and a worrisome living environment.
In Fuyang Wildlife Park, a Siberian tiger has been locked up in a "small black room" for a long time (Source: China Philanthropist Magazine)
The zoo was not built, and the animals came first
Fuyang Wildlife Park is a private zoo, operated by Anhui Colorful Wildlife Park Co., Ltd.
According to a report by Fuyang Daily on November 14, 2018, three days ago, Fuyang Wildlife Park welcomed the first batch of 12 giraffes into the park. Subsequently, a number of media reported that "Fuyang Wildlife Park will enter the first phalanx of national wildlife parks, and it is the largest and most diverse wildlife park in northern Anhui." ”
It is understood that the construction process of Fuyang Wildlife Park was not smooth, and due to land use problems, the construction was suspended for nearly two years. The relevant person in charge of the Yingdong District Forestry Bureau admitted to reporters that the opening hours reported by the media before were only the time planned by the park, but the actual opening time was May 1, 2021.
But in any case, before the zoo was built, the animals were already here. In April 2018, Qicai Company signed a contract with Fuyang Tengfei Domestication Exhibition Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as Tengfei Company), and Tengfei Company transferred 33 Siberian tigers, 5 African lions, 11 black bears, 3 camels and other animals to Qicai Company at a total price of 2.543 million yuan. According to Li Lianghua, the legal representative of Tengfei, in April 2019, when Tengfei transported 25 tigers from Shanghai to Fuyang, it found that the zoo had stopped. "As soon as I saw that the environment was not suitable for Siberian tigers to survive, I didn't dare to transport other Siberian tigers over." Li Lianghua said.
Performing illegally without qualifications for many years
As early as September 11, 2018, the National Forestry and Grassland Administration (NFGA) issued a decision not to grant permission to Qicai on the grounds that it "does not have the appropriate premises and facilities for artificial breeding of Siberian tigers, Asian elephants and Bengal tigers," according to a document obtained by China Philanthropist.
This means that Fuyang Wildlife Park has been illegally exhibiting and artificially breeding Siberian tigers for many years without obtaining an artificial breeding license.
On May 10, the reporter saw in the "beast stocking area" of Fuyang Wildlife Park that there were still many Siberian tigers and lions pacing back and forth in the cage for tourists to watch.
In this regard, the staff of the Natural Resources Supervision Department of the Fuyang Forestry Bureau told reporters that the tigers in the zoo do not belong to the park, but to the qualified Tengfei company that cooperates with the park. After the expiration of the cooperation in 2022, Tengfei has not moved the tiger away. On May 9, 2023 and March 28, 2024, respectively, the Yingdong District Forestry Bureau issued rectification notices to Tengfei Company, pointing out that the company's animal patrol and maintenance personnel were insufficient, and the existing conditions did not meet the relevant provisions of the Provincial Forestry Bureau's issuance of artificial breeding licenses.
Business disputes affect the animals in the park
An investigation by a reporter from "Chinese Philanthropist" found that there were not only 20 tigers among the animals that died in Fuyang Wildlife Park, but also a large number of other wild animals that died unnaturally.
According to the data provided by Tengfei to reporters, from October 2019 to March 2023, a total of 10 Siberian tigers died, and from June 2020 to August 2023, a total of 11 tiger cubs were born, and only one survived; In May 2021 and August 2023, a total of 2 African lions died; 1 adult giraffe died in 2019, and 2 giraffes born in 2023 have also died; There are also macaques and other small body animals that also die in varying numbers.
What is even more worrying is that even the surviving wild animals are facing a survival crisis, and animal welfare is out of the question. The reporter saw at the scene that a number of black bears were kept in a small iron cage all year round, and the hair on the top of their heads had been worn off by the iron cage, exposing their scalps, and one of the black bears was paralyzed by quadriplegia due to their inability to move in a small space all year round. Some of the 16 Siberian tigers still alive in the zoo are kept in iron cages of about 1.5 meters and kept outdoors for several years. There are also Siberian tigers and African lions who are kept in dark bungalows, and the living conditions are extremely harsh.
Regarding the death of wild animals in the park, the relevant person in charge of the Yingdong District Forestry Bureau said that part of the reason is that these tigers are inbred, have bad genes, and are prone to disease; There are also some tigers who are old and frail and die a normal death.
Li Lianghua, the legal person of Tengfei Company, said that because of the dispute over the management rights of the zoo, the park stopped paying the wages of its employees and drove away all the technical backbones that it had carefully cultivated, and the zoo cut off water and electricity, resulting in wild animals either dying of hunger and thirst, or being weak and sick, and their life expectancy was shortened.
The zoo is operated by Anhui Qicai Wildlife Park Co., Ltd., and the company's legal representative, Pan Zhichao, said: Tengfei Company has no relationship with the zoo, and it is currently a "malicious occupation" of Fuyang Wildlife Park.
The living environment of animals in Fuyang Wildlife Park is worrying, and the picture shows two African lions locked in a dimly lit room. (Source: China Philanthropist Magazine)
The China Green Development Association is highly concerned
Previously, on April 25, the Legal Working Committee of the China Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development Foundation (hereinafter referred to as the Legal Affairs Committee of the Green Development Foundation) received a call from a member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), giving feedback that a district in Fuyang, Anhui Province was its designated assistance area, and consulted about the management of zoos in the district. The member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) left the contact information of a person in charge of the Fuyang Forestry Bureau, hoping that colleagues from the Legislative Affairs Committee of the Green Development Association could call back the Fuyang Forestry Bureau for guidance. Subsequently, the Legislative Affairs Committee of the Green Development Association communicated with the person in charge of the Fuyang Forestry Bureau on matters related to a company in Anhui Province that had not obtained a wild animal artificial breeding license and had raised more than 10 Siberian tigers. Regarding the current rescue of Siberian tigers, a person in charge of the Fuyang Forestry Bureau replied that it is being coordinated.
At present, the Siberian tigers are still trapped in a company and are in a worrying situation (photo provided by volunteers)
The Legislative Affairs Committee of the Green Development Association also inquired about the letter to the Anhui Provincial Forestry Bureau and the relevant requirements of the government information disclosure application, and the reply will be given by the Anhui Provincial Forestry Bureau.
The Legislative Affairs Committee of the Green Development Council will continue to follow up on the progress of resolving this issue and announce it in a timely manner.
Jimu News integrates "China Philanthropist" magazine, Fuyang Daily, and China Green Development Association