Kunming City, the modern capital of China’s southern Yunnan Province, is a refuge for thousands of migratory seagulls from Siberia during the winter season.
Once the gulls begin their descent upon Kunming after their long migration, some end up being caught by despicable tourists who play with them as if they are toys or use them for selfies, reported Sina (via Shanghaiist).
Just recently one middle-aged tourist was reprimanded by the area’s security after he captured one of the migratory black-headed gulls. Advised by the officials to release the bird, the unidentified man decided to smash the bird to the ground instead, leaving the bird injured with broken wings.
Aside from paying a fine of 2,500 yuan ($360) for his careless act, the tourist also became the target of a massive backlash from Chinese netizens who criticized his “uncivilized” behavior. Some suggested that the man received a higher penalty for his actions.
“The bird needs justice. A wing for a wing!” a netizen wrote on Chinese social media site Weibo.
Such complete disregard for the migratory birds’ lives is not that uncommon, as there have been several incidents in the past that involve tourists harming the birds in random, sick ways.
Just last year, Chinese American tourists were caught “shooting” at a flock of gulls living in the area’s Green Lake Park. Police said that the group was using a “toy” gun to harm the gulls. In 2014, a tourist reportedly tried to catch and eat a gull but he ended up breaking the bird’s wing. The following year, a tourist also earned the ire of Chinese netizens after a photo of him clenching a gull by its feet emerged online.
