A Chinese zoo's bid to restore a tiger's natural instincts by putting a live bull in its cage backfired when prey turned hunter.
Yancheng Zoo, in Changzhou, Jiangsu province, put the one-year-old bull into the white tiger's enclosure, reports Modern Express.
Keepers expected the rare tiger, called Tang Bai Hu, would kill and eat the animal as it would have done in the wild.
Tang Bai Hu did try to attack the bull - but the bull turned the tables by charging the tiger which fled in terror, much to the amusement of visitors.
The tiger tried again but could not get the better of the bull which pushed him away and, at one stage, even seemed to bite the tiger back.
Zoo spokesman Chang Yihai admitted that a live bull might have been too much for the 15-year-old tiger which normally eats chopped beef or chicken.
"Our tigers' hunting skills are long forgotten. They live a very comfortable life here, with a big house, swimming pool and sports field," he said.
"But their wild nature has been lost, which indirectly causes the degeneration of their immune system and reproductive ability."
The zoo had not given up - but would try offering Tang Bai Hu live chickens next time and build up from there, he added.
Tang Bai Hu is the zoo's only adult white tiger. He and his two cubs, Charles and Harry, are the stars of the zoo's big cat show.
Yancheng Zoo, in Changzhou, Jiangsu province, put the one-year-old bull into the white tiger's enclosure, reports Modern Express.
Keepers expected the rare tiger, called Tang Bai Hu, would kill and eat the animal as it would have done in the wild.
Tang Bai Hu did try to attack the bull - but the bull turned the tables by charging the tiger which fled in terror, much to the amusement of visitors.
The tiger tried again but could not get the better of the bull which pushed him away and, at one stage, even seemed to bite the tiger back.
Zoo spokesman Chang Yihai admitted that a live bull might have been too much for the 15-year-old tiger which normally eats chopped beef or chicken.
"Our tigers' hunting skills are long forgotten. They live a very comfortable life here, with a big house, swimming pool and sports field," he said.
"But their wild nature has been lost, which indirectly causes the degeneration of their immune system and reproductive ability."
The zoo had not given up - but would try offering Tang Bai Hu live chickens next time and build up from there, he added.
Tang Bai Hu is the zoo's only adult white tiger. He and his two cubs, Charles and Harry, are the stars of the zoo's big cat show.
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