Self-driving tourists enter the wildlife animals' living area at Badaling Safari Park. (Photo provided by Badaling Safari Park)
(ECNS) -- The number of visitors to wild animal parks declined after a woman was seriously injured by a Siberian tiger and her mother mauled to death at Badaling Safari Park, prompting calls for canceling the zero-distance safari-style tour.
There are usually two management styles in China's safari parks. One offers self-driving tours, allowing visitors to enter the living areas of wild animals and watch them closely, while the other separates visitors and animals by trenches and rivers.
Badaling is one of only two parks that choose the first.
The lack of compulsory regulations and wrong behavior by visitors in that style can endanger both people and animals, said Peng Zhenxin, director of the China Association of Zoological Gardens.
Visitors to Beijing Wildlife Park plunged 25 percent in October compared with the same period last year, while it enjoyed a monthly increase of 30 percent in the first six months, according to one of the park's managers.
Schools also took wild animal parks off the list of student activity destinations due to security concerns.
A Beijing resident surnamed Zhang said he was frightened by the Badaling accident and will not visit animal parks.
The tiger attack incident badly affected zoo attendance, said Feng Yingqun, vice-manager of Beijing Wildlife Park, another popular zoo in the capital.
Peng called on wild animal parks to strengthen self-discipline and eliminate backward management practices.
The government should update regulations on the management of wild animal parks and strengthen supervision, he said. The industry also needs to set a higher threshold for new staff to ensure security.
Wild animal parks are not only tourist destinations, but are also responsible for wild animal research and protection, it was added.
