Beijing (AsiaNews
/ Agencies) - Terrified by the noise and the lights of fireworks for the Lunar
New Year, a very rare "Manchu" tiger jumped from the roof of an eleven
story building where was being kept with his sister. The animal crashed to the
ground and died instantly. According to the owner the tiger, 7 months, managed
to get out of the cage where he was locked up because of the absence of the
domestic staff posted to guard him.
The animal's body was found on the morning of February 19 - the first day of
the Year of the Goat - in the parking lot of a building in Pingdu, in the
eastern province of Shandong (see photo). According to the police officers who
are investigating the case, the owner of the building, an industry boss, has "adopted" the tiger and his
sister from a mountain park in the area.
However Peijie Li, deputy director of the local forest, explained that "neither the owner nor the park had
permits to care for the animals and they were acting illegally." Especially since the species in
question is at risk of extinction. For that, "in all likelihood the
offender will be fined."
The Forestry Bureau of Qingdaohas will take the second tiger, still in her cage
on the roof, into custody.