Lion cub cuddles on offer with afternoon tea in China
Customers cradled the lion cubs as if they were babies in pictures and video clips posted online on China's Wechat and Weibo platforms.
HONG KONG (Reuters) -Teatime revels in China now include hugs with lion cubs in a four-course afternoon set offered by a restaurant in the northern province of Shanxi, drawing widespread attention online and fuelling concern for the animals' welfare.
Wanhui, which opened in June, sells about 20 tickets a day to customers looking to snuggle with the animals as part of a set menu costing 1,078 yuan ($150), the state-run Shanghai Daily said on its official Wechat page.
'The service has raised serious concerns about legality and animal welfare,' the English-language newspaper added.
Reuters was unable to independently contact Wanhui.
Online comments were mostly critical, saying the venture was dangerous and not good for the animals.
'This is for the rich to play,' said one Weibo user. 'Ordinary people even can't afford to drink.'
Another user urged action by the authorities, adding, 'The relevant departments should take care of it.'
The incident comes just after authorities investigated a hotel in June for offering a 'wake-up service' starring red pandas, state media said.
The hotel in the southwestern region of Chongqing allowed the animals to climb onto beds to awaken guests.
($1=7.1806 Chinese yuan renminbi)
(Reporting by Farah Master in Hong Kong and the Beijing newsroom; Editing by Clarence Fernandez)
Disclaimer: This report is auto generated from the Reuters news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
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Daily Subject-wise quiz — History, Culture, and Social Issues (Week 117) Daily subject-wise quiz — Polity and Governance (Week 119) Daily subject-wise quiz — Science and Technology (Week 119) Daily subject-wise quiz — Economy (Week 118) Daily subject-wise quiz — Environment and Geography (Week 118) Daily subject-wise quiz – International Relations (Week 118) Subscribe to our UPSC newsletter and stay updated with the news cues from the past week. Stay updated with the latest UPSC articles by joining our Telegram channel – IndianExpress UPSC Hub, and follow us on Instagram and X. Manas Srivastava is currently working as Senior Copy Editor with The Indian Express (digital) and leads a unique initiative of IE - UPSC Essentials. He majorly writes on UPSC, other competitive exams and education-related projects. In the past, Manas has represented India at the G-20 Youth Summit in Mexico. He is a former member of the Youth Council, GOI. A two-time topper/gold medallist in History (both in graduation and post-graduation) from Delhi University, he has mentored and taught UPSC aspirants for more than five years. His diverse role in The Indian Express consists of writing, editing, anchoring/ hosting, interviewing experts, and curating and simplifying news for the benefit of students. He hosts the YouTube talk show called 'Art and Culture with Devdutt Pattanaik' and a LIVE series on Instagram and YouTube called 'LIVE with Manas'.His talks on 'How to read a newspaper' focus on newspaper reading as an essential habit for students. His articles and videos aim at finding solutions to the general queries of students and hence he believes in being students' editor, preparing them not just for any exam but helping them to become informed citizens. This is where he makes his teaching profession meet journalism. He is also the editor of UPSC Essentials' monthly magazine for the aspirants. He is a recipient of the Dip Chand Memorial Award, the Lala Ram Mohan Prize and Prof. Papiya Ghosh Memorial Prize for academic excellence. He was also awarded the University's Post-Graduate Scholarship for pursuing M.A. in History where he chose to specialise in Ancient India due to his keen interest in Archaeology. He has also successfully completed a Certificate course on Women's Studies by the Women's Studies Development Centre, DU. As a part of N.S.S in the past, Manas has worked with national and international organisations and has shown keen interest and active participation in Social Service. He has led and been a part of projects involving areas such as gender sensitisation, persons with disability, helping slum dwellers, environment, adopting our heritage programme. He has also presented a case study on 'Psychological stress among students' at ICSQCC- Sri Lanka. As a compere for seminars and other events he likes to keep his orating hobby alive. His interests also lie in International Relations, Governance, Social issues, Essays and poetry. ... Read More
