Lions And Children Play Tug-Of-War In Zoo, Game Criticized By Animal Activists

A British zoo is being criticized for letting children play tug-of-war with lions as part of a “human v beast challenge.”

The controversial challenge was launched earlier this month at the Dartmoor Zoo, England, which allowed a team of four visitors – minimum age requirement eight years old – to play a version of tug-of-war against a hungry lion. A fence separated the beast from the humans participating in the competition, the Telegraph reported.

A piece of meat was tied to the end of the rope that the lion was supposed to tug at, so as to entice the animal to fight hard in the game. On the other hand, the four participants at the other end of the rope were tasked with snatching the piece of meat away from the lion's jaws by pulling the rope with all their might.

A ticket for the challenge is priced at 15 pounds (about $20). According to the zoo, the competition was almost always won by the lions.

According to a Facebook post on the zoo’s official social account, “this type of enrichment is very important to keep the cats fit and healthy.” However, animal rights activist disagreed with this notion.

One such activist, Sue Dally, started a petition calling for a ban on the contest, which has over 2,000 signatures. “It's cruel and shows a total lack of respect for these beautiful majestic wild animals,” she wrote. “The zoo claims it's to give the animals intellectual exercise and fun, but it comes across as putting profits before the animal's welfare.”

Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals said that while it recognized that the wild animals needed daily exercise, there were “alternative ways of doing this and we feel it should not be marketed for public entertainment and that this activity does not promote respect for animals.”

However, Benjamin Mee, 53, chief executive of Dartmoor Zoo, defended the game and said the activity was the ideal way to keep male tigers, Dragan and Jasiri, fit and healthy.

“People are making a fuss about nothing,” Mee said. “I think this is 100 percent the right thing to be doing; the lion loves it. One of the problems people have potentially raised is the lion doesn't get fed unless he wins, but obviously, that isn't the case. In the wild, the level of force a lion puts its whole physique through is considerably more than we can replicate.”

People who have tried out the contest also had raving reviews about the event.

“The lion was locked away when they set it all up, we had a safety briefing and they told us what to do,” Jason Leake, 31, said. “They told us to stay on the left side of the rope and to do whatever the instructor told us. We had to stop pulling when the lion had the meat and then pull again when he let go. The power was mental. We had no chance. Apparently, a rugby team had come in and they had the same result.”

Facebook user Elizabeth Leake wrote on the zoo’s recommendations page: “Came here to experience tug-of-war with Jasiri the lion. Amazing experience, Mr. Mee and all the staff are so caring and knowledgeable and the welfare of their animals is their main priority at all times. Great to see and experience.”