If you visited Shenzhen's Donghu Park during the Mid-Autumn Festival, you might have stumbled across some animals in vastly new habitats.
According to a Sina Video Weibo post, on September 24, a group of middle-aged men and women visiting the park can be seen chanting Buddhist sutras as bags and crates full of live animals lay on the ground beside them. The animals are seen squirming inside their burlap sacks on the ground.
Mr. Wang, who lives near the park, told sznews.com that in recent years, on the first and 15th day of every Lunar month he would see people come to the park to chant sutras and pray at Wanfo Temple. Afterwards, they would release all kinds of animals they'd brought with them, including snakes and sparrows.
Other nearby residents also revealed that sometimes these people would come in trucks carrying vast numbers of animals. The local community members voiced their concerns over the animals’ impact on the environment.
Some women, who like to exercise at the park, said that quite a few of the birds will die shortly after their release, which can pollute the park's environment.
Wanfo Temple also discouraged these acts, saying that the people are not affiliated with the temple and that the temple would advise against releasing snakes into the park.
The park has become a spot for fake monks peddling live animals to believers. However, due to a lack of regulations on the release of live animals, the park's staff workers and local authorities find it difficult to clamp down on this phenomenon, as one park management office worker also told sznews.com.
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[Cover image via Sina Video/Weibo]
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