A man died after trying to take a selfie with a playful walrus in a China zoo.
According to Shanghaiist, the businessman, known as Jia, had been at Yeshanko Wildlife Zoo in the Liaoning province and had posted a video of a walrus that records him saying: “Look at this walrus, so strong, so big!”
What happened next feels like the most horrifying of episodes.
The walrus had seized Jia’s back with its jaws and dragged him back to the pool where it resides. Jia reportedly drowned to death.
Unfortunately, a zookeeper who dived in to save Jia was also drowned by the walrus, which the zoo has been looking after for more than a decade since its infancy.
Following the incident, Shanghaiist reported that there was speculation that the walrus, which weighs 1.5 tonnes, had been playful and that it had been trying to give the men a hug.
Netizens have been quick to comment on the incident, with some saying that given the lax safety measures to protect both the walrus and visitors, this incident was a long time coming. Shanghaiist added in its report that there was only a “simple” barrier that protects the walkway from the enclosure.
More alarmingly, the part of enclosure along the water had no barriers on both sides.
Jia’s close friend was reported by a local paper saying: “My brother didn’t fall into that pool, he was dragged by the beast. Large wild animals aren’t predictable, even if they are normally calm”.
The zoo, which has claimed responsibility, compensated Jia’s family with 900,000 yuan (S$190,000).
prabukm@sph.com.sg
