Tourists have plucked the tail feathers from four live peacocks at a zoo in eastern China, according to a newspaper report.
It is the second incident of its kind at Liwan Zoo in Yangzhou, Jiangsu province this year.
Traces of blood were still at the scene after the latest assault on the birds, the Beijing Youth Daily reported.
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Pictures circulated on social media show all the peacocks’ long tail feathers had been pulled out.
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It may take some time for the feathers to regrow as they generally begin to form in November with the process ending in March or April the following year, according to the article.
A file picture of one of the peacocks at a zoo in Yunnan province which died after it was forcibly handled by visitors and had its tail feathers plucked. Photo: Tencent