Zoo fires keeper for torturing South China tiger cub

(ECNS) -- A zookeeper suspected of torturing a South China tiger cub, which enjoys first-grade protection at state level, has been fired in Nanchang, East China's Jiangxi province, Qianjiang Evening News reported.

In a video that went viral online, a man is seen grabbing the neck of a cub, which is the size of a kitten, suspending the animal in the air, and punching it in the head when it tries to escape.

The suspect is also filmed holding the cub's feet tightly and slapping or flipping its face until it can't move. In another scene, the keeper allows the tiger to fall on the ground while feeding it improperly.  

Kuang Huaming, a manager at the zoo, has confirmed the authenticity of the video and says the keeper involved has been fired.

The zoo currently hosts 18 adult South China tigers and one cub.

Kuang said the one-month-old cub has received a full checkup and is deemed to be healthy.

South China tigers, believed to have been extinct in the wild for more than 30 years, are listed as one of the world's ten most endangered animals.