The animal, a rare and endangered "Manchu", was held with his sister on the roof of the building owned by an Shandong industrialist. He defends himself by saying that he had "adopted" the two specimens from a zoo, but had no authorization.

Beijing (AsiaNews / Agencies) - Terrified by the noise and the lights of fireworks for the Lunar New Year, a very rare "Manchu" tiger jumped from the roof of an eleven story building where was being kept with his sister. The animal crashed to the ground and died instantly. According to the owner the tiger, 7 months, managed to get out of the cage where he was locked up because of the absence of the domestic staff posted to guard him.

The animal's body was found on the morning of February 19 - the first day of the Year of the Goat - in the parking lot of a building in Pingdu, in the eastern province of Shandong (see photo). According to the police officers who are investigating the case, the owner of the building, an industry boss,  has "adopted" the tiger and his sister from a mountain park in the area.

However Peijie Li, deputy director of the local forest, explained that "neither the owner nor the park had permits to care for the animals and they were acting illegally." Especially since the species in question is at risk of extinction. For that, "in all likelihood the offender will be fined."

The Forestry Bureau of Qingdaohas will take the second tiger, still in her cage on the roof, into custody.

 

• china
• tiger
• shandong
• endangered
• species
• lunar
• new
• year