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HEILONGJIANG PROVINCE, China — Everyone knows that tigers are fearsome predators. But as seen in a popular video from China, even electronic devices can become prey.
The video, posted to YouTube by China Central Television, shows a large group of tigers pursuing an aerial drone. According to a report from The Washington Post, the encounter took place in China’s Harbin Siberian Tiger Park in Heilongjiang province. The park is one of the country’s largest tiger farms and is also home to other large cats, such as lynx and lions.
At the video’s onset, several large tigers are shown strolling around the park’s enclosure and lounging on the snow. When the drone is introduced into the scene, many of them begin to chase it.
One of the tigers finally took matters into its own paws, lunging high into the air before striking the drone and bringing it to the ground. The other tigers then surrounded the downed quadcopter, chewing on its components until the battery erupted with smoke.
A staff member then reportedly removed the drone before the malfunctioning device could pose a threat to the animals. Drones such as the one in the video are actually used to give the tigers exercise, as they enjoy pursuing them.
While the video is certainly enjoyable to watch, The Washington Post reports that there are controversial elements to the park where it was filmed. An investigation from 2014 revealed that the tigers were kept in “deplorable conditions.” And the government allegedly allowed the park to sell wine made from tiger bone, which has been outlawed since 1993.
