10 Cry of the Tiger

Most people realize by the age of five or so that taking care of an animal is a lot of responsibility. Be it a cat, dog, rabbit, or hamster, it is necessary to feed it, clean it, and above all, not leave it abandoned in a cage in an amusement park for three years because you got tired of looking after it.

Unfortunately, Tongdo Fantasia Amusement Park in Yangsan did not get that memo and, bewilderingly, left a fully grown Bengal tiger believed to be named Hosooni in a cage by herself for three years after the amusement park closed. While it appears that there was someone providing the minimal level of care to the tiger so that she did not meet her untimely end, several people that visited the enclosure described the conditions as nothing less that appalling. The Gwangju News spoke with Jason Teale, a long-term resident of Korea who visited the amusement park and photographed the tiger. “When I first walked up to the tiger,” he said, “I was in utter disbelief. There was no one around, and yet there was a living tiger just... there.” He also mentioned that the tiger seemed pretty docile (which may or may not have been from all that malnutrition and neglect).

Had it not been for a YouTube video by Ugly Lovely Media and a story by The Korea Times’ Jon Dunbar, this ridiculous situation might have just fallen into obscurity. Fortunately, the coverage of this preposterous scenario garnered enough attention and moral indignation that the tiger was able to find a new home at Family Land’s Uchi Park Zoo, right here in Gwangju. While Teale was disappointed that it took so long to get the ball rolling on the transfer, his main hope is that the tiger can be helped and that she can live a somewhat healthy life at her new home.

Uchi Park Zoo is perhaps most famous for adopting former President Moon Jae-in’s Pungsan hunting dogs that were gifted to him by North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. Former President Moon’s decision to give up the dogs generated a lot of negative press and public backlash, but it is actually pretty difficult to find fault with his decision. Pungsan hunting dogs require a lot of care (more than an older gentleman could likely provide by himself), not to mention space and attention. As well, former President

Moon saw to it that the dogs would be looked after properly, and visitors to the zoo can enjoy seeing them when staff members take them out for their daily walks.

WELCOME TO UCHI PARK ZOO, HOSOONI!

Uchi Park Zoo already has a number of tigers under its care, meaning it also has the specialized expertise required to properly care for these magnificent animals. This is a critical factor, since tigers occupy a very specific niche in their ecosystems and exist within narrowly defined ecological parameters. In other words, you cannot just throw a tiger a pack of hot dogs here and there and expect it to be okay.

The Gwangju News spoke to representatives at Uchi Park Zoo who were directly involved with the tiger’s care and said it was thanks to the direction of a great veterinarian (and a proper dosage of anesthesia) that they were able to successfully transport Hosooni to her new home. While she is not ready for public viewing quite yet (which probably has to do with her being abandoned in a godforsaken amusement park for three years), the staff reported that she is adjusting well, eating a healthy diet of chicken, and not experiencing any special health problems.

Having the skills and personnel to care for a tiger is only part of the battle, and there are still logistical challenges that are being slowly overcome. For example, since tigers (unlike lions) do not live in packs, it has been necessary to set up a special partition in the existing pens. The zoo staff assured the Gwangju News that even though Hosooni will be kept by herself, she will not feel lonely and will have many people nearby to look after her.

The people of Gwangju should be proud of Uchi Park Zoo for stepping in (and stepping up) to take care of this tiger. Hopefully, many people will visit the zoo to support its efforts and also to welcome Hosooni.

A Note On Abandoning Wild Animals In The Middle Of A Shuttered Amusement Park

Not taking care of a household animal like a dog, as terrible as that is, is one thing. Taking a beast out of its natural jungle habitat, shipping it across the world, then letting it deteriorate in a cage for three years is willful neglect on a whole different level. Even for those who are not animal lovers or environmentalists, it is difficult to not feel complete and utter disgust towards the individuals responsible for this shameful and absurd abandonment of a Bengal tiger. Their complete lack of foresight, combined with their wanton disregard for the life of a rare and beautiful animal, exemplifies avarice, exploitation, and misconduct along with an unhealthy dose of covering one’s own dirty backside and running away when the going gets tough.

To even the score, maybe the people responsible for this nonsense should lock themselves up in a cage for a few years to experience the agony that Hosooni has faced.

Not long ago, there was an exhibition titled Yi Soon (이순, 耳順) by the artist Heo Dal-yong at the gallery Art Space House. “Yi Soon” refers to the age of 60, when one’s ears become gentler, and one considers things more objectively, and therefore more easily realizes the meaning of things – this is according to Confucius.

I had had a chance to see Heo Dal-yong’s artworks before. So, I wondered how his art might have changed since then. I remember his painting of President Roh, Man Who Became a Mountain. Roh Moo-hyun (1946–2009) was president of Korea from 2003 to 2008. He was a human rights lawyer and activist before he entered politics, and he was known for his progressive policies during his tenure. He committed suicide by jumping from a cliff near his home. His passing was a great loss to many common people in the country.