Zoo investigated for fitting mechanical tail to peacock

Zoo officials are under investigation in China after keepers told how they were forced to fix a mechanical tail onto a peacock to cash in on tourists.

Keepers at the Beijing Wild Animal Park were ordered to attach the fake tail which is fixed to a motor that spreads the feathers into a magnificent display.



"Visitors are happy to pay to pose in front of a peacock spreading his tail but they only do it in spring when they're breeding," explained one. "So to keep the money coming in we have to tie the tail to the bird and when they've paid, we spread it out for the picture."

"The bird is obviously uncomfortable but we'd be sacked if we said no," he added. A local police spokesman said: "We have received a number of complaints of animal cruelty and we're investigating."