Remember Chinese zoos faced criticism for staging dogs as pandas using paint? Recent news suggests they painted a donkey to look like a zebra. People who visited the zoo to wave hands at zebras only greeted a donkey in disguise. While this might sound hilarious at first, it is equally concerning.
A report in China's Global Times informed the Zibo City amusement park in Shandong province used dyes to transform a donkey into a zebra, aiming to increase footfall. The document pointed out that Chinese zoo officials admitted painting its donkes as zebra to attract more visitors.
Visuals showing the zebra-painted donkey went viral on local social media platforms and they have also surfaced on X. Videos and photos that circulated on the internet showed they weren't real zebra, but donkey painted with large black and white stripes across their bodies.
Internet users have condemned the practice of Chinese zoos painting animals and making them appear like others.
Painted zebra in the zoo after fake panda
The Chinese media stated that the zoo pulled out this gimmick after their initial exercise associated with 'Chow Chow' dogs proved successful. The authorities replicated the stunt to not fool people but on a lighthearted note. A staff member was quoted in reports saying, "The owner did it just for fun".
Similar incident from Cairo
In 2018, a similar incident was reported in Cairo, Egypt. A zoo in the area painted zebra stripes on a local donkey, however, the zoo director insisted the animal was a real one. The incident came to light after a teenager posted a photo of the so-called zebra on Facebook and revealed the secrets.
