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A group of chubby Siberian tigers have been put through an unusual workout regime in an effort to shed a few extra kilos.
The fat cats in China's Harbin Siberian Tiger Park — which reportedly sells tiger bones and pelts — have been encouraged to chase a drone during the winter months in order to keep active.
It is believed the game of cat and mouse draws on their natural instincts to chase birds, and video footage shows some of the fitter tigers in full pursuit.
But they may have been a tad quicker than their keepers first thought.
One manages to swat the drone from the sky and start eating its prize, until smoke starts billowing out and startles the curious tigers.
Park staff quickly drove in and rescued the fallen drone.
Experts said tigers hoard calories during the winter months and this was the latest effort to get them to slim down before spring.
It was not the first time drones had been used with animals.
Central Queensland farmers last year started experimenting with drones to muster their stock, in the hope they will one day reduce costs — as well as their workload.
Topics: animals, human-interest, offbeat, china
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