Overview

• The Wanhui restaurant in Taiyuan charges 1,078 yuan for a four-course afternoon tea that includes cuddling lion cubs alongside llamas, turtles and deer.
• Its licence from the Shanxi Provincial Forestry and Grassland Bureau permits only display of protected wild animals and bans direct human contact.
• The bureau has launched an urgent investigation to determine if Wanhui exceeded its display-only licence by offering hands-on interactions with the cubs.
• People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals and Humane World for Animals have condemned the service as exploitative, hazardous for both wildlife and patrons, and a potential zoonotic risk.
• Authorities in Chongqing recently probed a hotel’s red panda wake-up service, reinforcing scrutiny of exotic animal attractions in Chinese hospitality venues.