Photographs of 'obese' Siberian tigers go viral; raises questions on their upkeep

New Delhi: Photographs of a group of tigers lounging in the sun went viral, primarily because the big cats in the image looked not well-fed, but instead, obese.

The paunchy physiques of the Siberian tigers at a zoo in China's Harbin province captured worldwide attention. However, when contacted, a zoo official blamed the 'unflattering angle' from which the photos were taken.

A representative for the Heilongjiang Siberian Tiger Park reported called the weight gain 'normal', saying that it had the tendency to happen in the frigid winter season and that the tigers would return to their normal weight during the onset of summer.

However, the New York Post reported that a spokesperson for the International Fund for Animal Warfare told Metro that “based on the photos, it appears these tigers are obese.”

“Captive tigers do not have to hunt for their food and stockpiling weight for lean times is not necessary,” the IFAW said.

Siberian tigers are known to be the biggest cats. As per the New York Post, the typical weight for males is between 400 and 675 pounds, and 220-310 for females, the group Defenders of Wildlife said.

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