In a Chongqing “zoo,” visitors are encouraged to “fish” for mongooses (no, it’s not “mongeese”) by dangling food on a line attached to a rod of sorts. Now, this in itself is not an egregious example of animal abuse. it does, however, hint at the vast difference in attitudes towards animals in China versus in other countries. In many countries, zoos are utilized solely as observational tools (and are increasingly under fire for their usefulness as such, but in China the animals in many of these “zoos” are viewed as entertainment. From feeding tigers with a chicken on a rope to bike-riding bears chasing monkeys, ?the animals are “utilized” for profit.

Even more worrying than zoo and circus performances–technically a ban was introduced?in 2010–is the recently proposed updates for the country’s?Wildlife Protection Law. The new draft?addresses the need to begin “regulating the utilization of wildlife,” which some critics claim is regressive and will lead to more bear bile labs and tiger farms throughout the country.