'Tiger walker' at park becomes spectacle  

饲养员带老虎到公园锻炼 市民直夸“霸气”(图)

Zookeeper surnamed Hu is walking a young tiger at a public park in Jiaozuo, Henan province. (Photo source: Dahe Daily)

(ECNS)-- A zookeeper in Jiaozuo, Henan province, who often walks a young tiger in a public park is drawing attention in the city, the Dahe Daily reported on Wednesday.

On Tuesday afternoon, a reporter from the newspaper came across the "tiger walker" at the Municipal People's Park in Jiaozuo.

With an iron chain tied around its neck, the little tiger hid behind the zookeeper as visitors took pictures.

One wondered whether it was "a real tiger, or just a dog being made up as tiger?"

After being told that it was six-month-old baby tiger, the visitor was shocked, and praised the zookeeper for his courage.

"We found that the tiger suffered from a disability in its two hind legs three months after it was born. It could only crawl," said the zookeeper surnamed Hu.

"Experts said a calcium deficiency is the cause of the leg problem, so we are giving it calcium supplements," he added

"I have been walking the tiger at the park every day for three months to help facilitate the absorption of calcium, and it has worked," said Hu, who added that the tiger can now walk on its own.