A zookeeper cleans a hippo in Shanghai Zoo. (Photo : Reuters)
A group of elderly dancers were asked to leave the Shanghai Zoo after officials have complained that they were unruly and their loud music disturbed most of the animals within their dancing area.
The Shanghai Zoo has become a favorite venue for city residents who are into dancing as a form of exercise. Several groups go to the zoo to hold their dance sessions every day.
A zoo official said that this particular group of dancers, mostly in their 50s and 60s, refused to obey rules despite being repeatedly told to tone down the volume of their music.
"We asked them to dance 10 meters away from the cages but it didn't seem to have any effect on them. Other visitors have also complained about the loud music. It affects the animals and disturbs their reproduction activity," a zoo official was quoted as saying.
The official said that the group chose the indoor area near the entrance gate which was also near the area for reptiles such as the Aldabra giant tortoise, the Bengal monitor lizard, the Burmese python, and other protected species.
The zoo official added that animals are sensitive to the noise during winter, which is the time for their hibernation.
Zoo officials have reportedly asked the dancers to find another place but they refused. The officials added that some dancers had even destroyed public sign boards, which prompted them to call the police for assistance.
The official blamed the lack of regulations as the cause of difficulty in enforcing restrictions in the zoo.
