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Tengrinews.kz - A scandal has erupted in China after social media users noticed strange "zebras" in one of the zoos, according to the New York Post.
As it turned out, the administration of the amusement park in Zibo City (Shandong Province) really did paint donkeys black and white stripes, passing them off as exotic animals. According to the publication, the zoo admitted that the donkeys were painted in order to attract visitors. A representative of the park said that "the owner did it just for fun", but social media users considered this approach unethical and outrageous.
"It’s unfair to the animals and the visitors," a critic said on the Chinese social media app Douyin.
Others noted that the painting was done carelessly.
"Them stripes look a mess… looks like a pinata," a commenter was indignant.
Recently, videos posted by netizens claimed that an amusement park in Zibo, East China's Shandong Province, was disguising a #donkey as a #zebra, sparking widespread discussion. In response, park staff confirmed that the "zebra" was indeed a donkey, and the move was intended to… pic.twitter.com/iHlHOYvDpZ
— Global Times (@globaltimesnews) February 14, 2025
This case is far from the first in a series of similar scandals. Earlier in China, another zoo tried to pass off painted dogs as pandas. The hoax was revealed when one of the “pandas” began barking and panting like a dog in the heat, with its tongue hanging out.
Similar stories have occurred outside of China. In 2018, a zoo in Cairo, Egypt, also came under fire after visitors noticed that its “zebras” had oddly proportioned muzzles and ears. At the time, management insisted that they were real animals, but experts quickly refuted such claims.
The incident at the Chinese zoo caused a storm of indignation among social media users and human rights activists. PETA condemned such methods, saying that painting animals can cause them severe stress and allergic reactions.
"No reputable animal-care facility would subject skittish animals like donkeys to the stress of being restrained and sprayed with chemicals like paint, which could cause a painful allergic reaction," PETA wrote in a statement.
Despite the zoo's assurances that the dyes used are safe, users continue to criticize the management for misleading visitors and disrespecting the animals.
Read also: Fake penguins and pandas: how zoos deceive tourists
