Man feeds himself to tigers at China zoo

Chinese zoo keepers have saved the life of a depressed man who was mauled while trying to feed himself to the tigers to improve their lot in life.

Crowds at the zoo in Chengdu, in China's southwest Sichuan province, watched as Yan Jinhai entered the enclosure and danced around the animals before being dragged away by a male tiger.

Witnesses say the 27-year-old tried to antagonise them by pulling faces and was scratched and bitten before keepers shot the tiger with a tranquiliser gun.

"He climbed up the outside of the cage and jumped inside expecting, I assume, that the tigers would pounce on him," eyewitness Feng Lin said.

"Instead the two tigers, a male and a female, seemed more nervous than anything else and the female actually ran off."

The man, who reportedly suffers depression, had recently written online about his struggle to find meaning in life after quitting his two most recent jobs.

He wrote how depressing it was to see "noble and magnificent" Bengal tigers denied the opportunity to hunt and said he would offer himself as a sacrifice.

Yang's family have reportedly told local media he has battled depression for a long time and is undergoing psychiatric counselling.

* Readers seeking support and information about suicide prevention can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Suicide Call Back Service on 1300 659 467.

Sky News, Hong Kong Standard
Author: Matthew Henry. Approving editor: Simon Black.