A zoo in south China is asking visitors to stop feeding its raccoons after they have grown obese.
Staff members of Guangzhou Zoo became concerned for the health of their raccoons after their weight ballooned to more than 18 lbs, according to Chinese reports. The average weight of an adult raccoon is about 11 lbs.
The zoo is home to about 40 raccoons and more than half of them now need to lose weight, the park said.
Staff members of Guangzhou Zoo became concerned for the health of their raccoons after their weight ballooned to more than 18 lbs, according to Chinese reports
Footage released by China News show several portly raccoons, distinguished by their black mask across the eyes and bushy tails, lolling around their enclosure at the park in Guangdong
Visitors are seen throwing food at the raccoons without permission at Guangzhou Zoo
Footage released by China News show several portly raccoons, distinguished by their black mask across the eyes and bushy tails, lolling around their enclosure at the park in Guangdong province.
The adorable furry animals are filmed looking eagerly at the excited visitors, who are prompted to toss their food at the animals.
Volunteer staff are also seen patrolling the area holding up ‘no feeding’ signs and reminding tourists not to throw food at the animals.
But many ignore the staff and the signs, Guangzhou Zoo caretaker Fang Zehao said. The zoo is considering building a taller fence around the enclosure to stop the unruly behaviour.
Being overweight could cause various health problems for a raccoon, including high blood pressure and diabetes, caretaker Feng Zehao told Information Times
More importantly, being overweight affects the animal’s reproductive capacity, Feng said
The zoo is considering building a taller fence around the enclosure to stop the unruly behaviour after half of its raccoons became too fat
Being overweight could cause various health problems for a raccoon, including high blood pressure and diabetes, Feng told Information Times.
More importantly, being overweight affects the animal’s reproductive capacity.
‘The park’s raccoons are too fat – this limits their mating methods and affects their ability to reproduce,’ he said.
In 2017, 12 raccoon were born at the zoo, but only a few were born last year. The drop in fertility rate is caused by obesity related to visitors over-feeding the animals without permission, Feng said.
The raccoons’ diet includes apples, bananas, bread, chicken and fish, which already provides the sufficient nutrients for the animals each day.
In 2017, 12 raccoon were born at the zoo, but only a few were born last year
The raccoons’ diet includes apples, bananas, bread, chicken and fish, which already provides the sufficient nutrients for the animals each day
Volunteer staff are also seen patrolling the area holding up ‘no feeding’ signs
More than 96,000 people visited the Guangzhou Zoo in Guangdong province each day during the national Labour Day holiday last week. People are seen feeding the raccoons
‘Visitors often feed the raccoons high-fat junk food such as biscuits, cake and sweets, which cause them to gain weight quickly,’ Fang said.
‘And the raccoons can be “greedy” sometimes and would always gobble up the unhealthy snacks,’ he said.
More than 96,000 people visited the Guangzhou Zoo in Guangdong province each day during the national Labour Day holiday last week, according to the park.
‘It’s true, when I visited the zoo on May 2 I thought the raccoons were too fat. Please be civilised tourists and stop feeding them!’ one person commented on Weibo.
‘Although they look really cute being chubby, it’s not healthy for them,’ another said.