Video of Chinese farmer avoiding tiger attack goes viral

Weibo

19/11/2024 11:39

By Joe Cash
       BEIJING, Nov 19 (Reuters) - Authorities in north China's
Heilongjiang province warned locals to be on alert for Siberian
tigers, after a video of a farmer narrowly escaping an attack
early on Monday went viral on social media.
    State and local media reported that two men had been
attacked, with a 65-year-old cattle farmer surnamed Zhao
requiring surgery to save his left hand.
    His son told a local radio station that two tigers were on
the loose. Officials have not confirmed the number of tigers or
whether they have been caught.
    State media said it was the first time a Siberian tiger had
been spotted in Boli county.
    A one-minute video clip circulating on the Chinese social
media platform Weibo of another farmer going to check on the
tiger's whereabouts was trending on Tuesday evening.
    The video, verified by Reuters, shows the man stepping out
on to the street, spotting the tiger and hurrying back to close
a large iron gate, which the enormous cat hurls itself against.
    Several counties have issued notices encouraging locals to
report sightings of tiger droppings or footprints, keep tabs on
their livestock and organise village patrols.
    "Siberian tigers are generally more active in the early
morning and dusk hours," one notice said. "Compared to other big
cats, they can coexist with humans and are not very aggressive."
    China is home to approximately 70 wild Siberian tigers,
which are a protected species. 

 (Reporting by Joe Cash; Additional reporting by Ella Cao,
editing by Ed Osmond)
 ((Joe.Cash@thomsonreuters.com;))