Hugs with Lion Cubs at Chinese Restaurant Sparks Controversy

A restaurant in Shanxi, China, offers customers the chance to hug lion cubs along with a four-course tea. The practice has drawn criticism from animal rights groups and sparked online debate about animal welfare. Despite assurances from the restaurant about the cubs' care, many remain concerned about the ethical implications.

A unique dining experience in Shanxi province, northern China, has become the center of controversy. Wanhui restaurant offers its patrons the opportunity to cuddle with lion cubs alongside enjoying a four-course tea meal, an initiative that has ignited significant backlash from animal rights groups and spread uproar across social media platforms.

While the restaurant insists on its conscientious efforts in caring for the cubs with specialised caregivers, critics argue that such interactions exploit the animals. Detractors claim that removing the cubs from their natural environment merely commodifies them for social media stunts, raising pressing ethical questions.

The criticism isn't isolated to lion cubs; prior instances, such as a hotel in Chongqing allowing red pandas to wake guests, indicate a broader cultural trend of using wildlife for entertainment, which authorities and animal welfare advocates are increasingly scrutinising.

(With inputs from agencies.)