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Malay Mail
16-07-2025
- General
- Malay Mail
Wild tea party: Lion cub cuddles on menu at China cafe, public fumes
HONG KONG, July 16 — Teatime revels in China now include hugs with lion cubs in a four-course afternoon set offered by a restaurant in the northern province of Shanxi, drawing widespread attention online and fuelling concern for the animals' welfare. Customers cradled the lion cubs as if they were babies in pictures and video clips posted online on China's Wechat and Weibo platforms. The Wanhui restaurant in Taiyuan city features llamas, turtles and deer in addition to the cubs on its page on Douyin, China's counterpart to social media app TikTok. Wanhui, which opened in June, sells about 20 tickets a day to customers looking to snuggle with the animals as part of a set menu costing 1,078 yuan (RM640), the state-run Shanghai Daily said on its official Wechat page. 'The service has raised serious concerns about legality and animal welfare,' the English-language newspaper added. Reuters was unable to independently contact Wanhui. Online comments were mostly critical, saying the venture was dangerous and not good for the animals. 'This is for the rich to play,' said one Weibo user. 'Ordinary people even can't afford to drink.' Another user urged action by the authorities, adding, 'The relevant departments should take care of it.' The incident comes just after authorities investigated a hotel in June for offering a 'wake-up service' starring red pandas, state media said. The hotel in the south-western region of Chongqing allowed the animals to climb onto beds to awaken guests. — Reuters
News18
16-07-2025
- Business
- News18
Brewing Wild: You Can Cuddle With A Lion Cub While Having Tea At This China Restaurant
Last Updated: A luxury restaurant in China, offers afternoon tea with lion cubs, sparking outrage and calls for stronger animal welfare regulations. A luxury restaurant in northern China's Shanxi province is offering afternoon tea with lion cubs- stirring widespread outrage online and renewed calls for stronger animal welfare regulations. The Wanhui restaurant in Taiyuan city allows customers to cuddle lion cubs as part of a four-course afternoon tea set priced at 1,078 yuan (about $150), according to a report by the state-run Shanghai Daily. Videos and images shared on Chinese social media platforms WeChat and Weibo show guests cradling the cubs like infants. Wanhui, which opened in June, features several animals as part of its attraction-driven dining experience, including llamas, turtles and deer. Its page on social media advertises the encounters as exclusive experiences for a limited number of guests and about 20 tickets are sold daily. The offering has drawn strong criticism online, with many users expressing concern for the well-being of the animals and questioning the legality of the service. Shanghai Daily reported that the service 'has raised serious concerns about legality and animal welfare" echoing sentiments across social media where commenters called the venture dangerous and exploitative. The controversy follows another animal welfare scandal last month involving a hotel in Chongqing which came under investigation after it was reported that the place offered a 'wake-up service" using red pandas, allowing the animals to climb into beds and interact with sleeping guests. Get breaking news, in-depth analysis, and expert perspectives on everything from geopolitics to diplomacy and global trends. Stay informed with the latest world news only on News18. Download the News18 App to stay updated! view comments Location : China First Published: July 16, 2025, 18:25 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
CNN
16-07-2025
- Entertainment
- CNN
Restaurant in China offers lion cub cuddles alongside afternoon tea
Teatime revels in China now include hugs with lion cubs in a four-course afternoon set offered by a restaurant in the northern province of Shanxi, drawing widespread attention online and fueling concern for the animals' welfare. Customers cradled the lion cubs as if they were babies in pictures and video clips posted online on China's Wechat and Weibo platforms. The Wanhui restaurant in Taiyuan city features llamas, turtles and deer in addition to the cubs on its page on Douyin, China's counterpart to social media app TikTok. Wanhui, which opened in June, sells about 20 tickets a day to customers looking to snuggle with the animals as part of a set menu costing 1,078 yuan ($150), the state-run Shanghai Daily said on its official Wechat page. 'The service has raised serious concerns about legality and animal welfare,' the English-language newspaper added. Related video Japan's panda town was booming. Now China wants its pandas back Reuters was unable to independently contact Wanhui. Online comments were mostly critical, saying the venture was dangerous and not good for the animals. 'This is for the rich to play,' said one Weibo user. 'Ordinary people even can't afford to drink.' Another user urged action by the authorities, adding, 'The relevant departments should take care of it.' The incident comes just after authorities investigated a hotel in June for offering a 'wake-up service' starring red pandas, state media said. The hotel in the southwestern region of Chongqing allowed the animals to climb onto beds to awaken guests.
Yahoo
16-07-2025
- Yahoo
The lion cubs who came to tea: Chinese dining experience with big cats sparks concern
Lion cubs are being offered for cuddles as part of a four-course afternoon tea at a restaurant in China, sparking widespread concern for the animals' welfare. Pictures and video clips posted on China's WeChat and Weibo platforms show customers cradling the young lions as if they were babies. The Wanhui restaurant in Taiyuan city, Shanxi province, which opened in June, also features llamas, turtles, and deer on its Douyin page, China's equivalent of TikTok. According to the state-run Shanghai Daily, which reported on its official WeChat page, the establishment sells approximately 20 tickets daily for its 1,078 yuan (\$150) set menu, allowing patrons to 'snuggle' with the animals. Pictures and video clips posted on China's WeChat and Weibo platforms show customers cradling the young lions as if they were babies. (Getty Images/iStockphoto) "The service has raised serious concerns about legality and animal welfare," the English-language newspaper added. Reuters was unable to independently contact Wanhui. Online comments were mostly critical, saying the venture was dangerous and not good for the animals. "This is for the rich to play," said one Weibo user. "Ordinary people even can't afford to drink." Another user urged action by the authorities, adding, "The relevant departments should take care of it." The incident comes just after authorities investigated a hotel in June for offering a "wake-up service" starring red pandas, state media said. A Chinese hotel faced calls to stop its 'red panda wake-up service.' (AFP via Getty Images) The Lehe Ledu Liangjiang Holiday Hotel, a popular family resort in Chongqing, was called on by the local forestry bureau to stop one of its most popular services. Many guests are attracted to the hotel solely for its red panda wake-up experience. The service involves bringing one of the hotel's red pandas up to a guest's bedroom in the morning, allowing the panda to roam freely around the room and climb onto the bed. Reviews online for the resort showed guests checking in just so they can book the experience and get up close to cute, furry animals from the comfort of their hotel room.
The Independent
16-07-2025
- The Independent
The lion cubs who came to tea: Chinese dining experience with big cats sparks concern
Lion cubs are being offered for cuddles as part of a four-course afternoon tea at a restaurant in China, sparking widespread concern for the animals' welfare. Pictures and video clips posted on China's WeChat and Weibo platforms show customers cradling the young lions as if they were babies. The Wanhui restaurant in Taiyuan city, Shanxi province, which opened in June, also features llamas, turtles, and deer on its Douyin page, China's equivalent of TikTok. According to the state-run Shanghai Daily, which reported on its official WeChat page, the establishment sells approximately 20 tickets daily for its 1,078 yuan (\$150) set menu, allowing patrons to 'snuggle' with the animals. "The service has raised serious concerns about legality and animal welfare," the English-language newspaper added. Reuters was unable to independently contact Wanhui. Online comments were mostly critical, saying the venture was dangerous and not good for the animals. "This is for the rich to play," said one Weibo user. "Ordinary people even can't afford to drink." Another user urged action by the authorities, adding, "The relevant departments should take care of it." The incident comes just after authorities investigated a hotel in June for offering a "wake-up service" starring red pandas, state media said. The Lehe Ledu Liangjiang Holiday Hotel, a popular family resort in Chongqing, was called on by the local forestry bureau to stop one of its most popular services. Many guests are attracted to the hotel solely for its red panda wake-up experience. The service involves bringing one of the hotel's red pandas up to a guest's bedroom in the morning, allowing the panda to roam freely around the room and climb onto the bed.
