The Year of dead Tigers

Was the starvation of 11 Siberian tigers an isolated incident or the tragic consequence of a larger issue? Hu Yongqi and Wu Yong in Shenyang, and Cao Li and Wang Zhuoqiong in Beijing report.

After the starvation deaths of 11 tigers in Northeast China, animal rights campaigners this week attacked owners of private zoos for "caring more about profit than animal welfare".

The scandal at Shenyang Forest Wild Animals Zoo, which was exposed by disgruntled staff last week, not only raises fears about the poor management of these facilities, but also highlights the government's lax supervision, experts claimed.