Video of Chinese tourists stuffing seagulls into bottle sparks outrage

 

A Chinese family has triggered a major public outcry after allowing their son to catch seagulls and ram them into a large plastic bottle. While a viral video shows the father holding the bottle as his son tries to force a bird into it, the kid's mother, according to Henan TV, can be heard saying, "Hold its wings", after the poor seagull gets stuck in the mouth of the plastic bottle.

The man who took the video, identified by his surname Song, was on 31 January at the 2400 meter-long Haigeng Dam near the famous Dianchi Lake, in the city of Kunming in Yunnan province. He said the family released two seagulls they had caught after he strongly asked them to set the birds free.

When the family was found catching a third bird, Song asked a security guard to intervene.

"Let it go. Let it go. Let it go immediately," Song can be heard telling the family in the viral video. In the background, a woman can also be heard saying, "We should protect wild animals."

"I just let him take a picture," the boy's mother responded. After being compelled by a number of tourists who had gathered around them, the family finally, but reluctantly, released the third seagull.

The incident has drawn fury from netizens across mainland China. While one person commented, "I advise putting them onto the blacklist of all tourist attractions," another satirised, "The seagull: Can I put you into the plastic bottle to take a picture?"

The family had already left the site when the local police arrived, an officer confirmed, adding they used the surveillance camera to confirm their information.

An official from Dianchi Lake Resort Management Office said on the day in question, tourist numbers had exceeded expectations leaving security guards overstretched.

The family had been asked to write a letter of repentance, which will be sent to the Kunming Environmental Ecology Bureau - which will be deciding the specific punishment - the police officer further mentioned.

The incident comes just days after a young boy at Wuxi Zoo in Jiangsu province grabbed onto the tail of one peacock, pinched its neck, and then threw it against rocks several times