Videos and media reports of these “tiger-view” rooms have also gone viral on Chinese social sites, drawing thousands of shares and views.
Local tourism authorities said the “tiger-view” rooms have passed local inspections and met strict safety standards.
The zoo worker said that rooms are fitted with double-layered bulletproof windows made of blast-resistant glass. Even bullets “cannot get through”, the worker said.
There are also electric wires which will shock the animals if they come into too close contact with the windows. “So there’s no need to worry about them getting too close,” the worker said.
A professor from the Northeast Forestry University’s School of Wildlife and Protected Areas in Harbin told The Beijing News site he did not believe that the tiger-viewing rooms would have “negative effects on the tigers”.
If the tigers’ living space has not been reduced and the barriers are safe, the “tiger-view” rooms should not harm the animals, said Zhang Minghai, also director of the National Forestry and Grassland Administration Feline Research Center.
He also suggested that revenue generated could go towards improving welfare conditions of the facility’s big cats.