Ro Hong-chul opened up about the controversy over the lion photos on social media.
On the 15th, Ro Hong-chul posted several photos on his social media along with the caption, "Ethical wildlife interaction. I visited after seeing keywords such as Tanzanian government, health treatment recovery, and release to natural habitat, and I see some valuable opinions. If that is the case, of course I will join as well."
The released photos drew attention as they included the photos and videos shot on the African savanna that had previously caused controversy online.
On Jan. 30, Ro Hong-chul posted the photo and video on his social media with the caption, "I touch the tip of a sleeping lion's fur. #agingasplanned #towardhonorablefuneral…"
The posted content showed wild animals such as giraffes, zebras and wildebeest freely coming and going around the private lodging, and scenes of sitting next to a white lion and interacting with it.
However, an Africa-specialized travel agency criticized Ro Hong-chul's post and the Tanzanian lodging where he stayed, saying, "Even if you try to package it poetically as a sleeping lion, this lion is sedated," and claimed, "The reason the lion walks beside you with sleepy eyes, can be touched and even have its belly petted without resisting is because drugs were injected."
The lodging is a safari-style accommodation located near Tanzania's Kilimanjaro National Park, and it drew attention on social media by promoting close-up photo experiences with lions as well as herbivores such as giraffes and zebras that roam around the property. However, some travel reviews and online posts raised concerns such as "the animals' movements seemed excessively sluggish" and "it looked like the animals were being controlled for filming."
As the controversy intensified, Ro Hong-chul added an explanatory post that read, "Our reserve spans more than 1,000 acres and has been developed in 50-acre stages to meet the animals' needs. The animals are received ethically, either transferred from zoos or rescued as injured individuals from the wild, and they are taught natural behaviors, with the ultimate goal of rehabilitating and releasing them back into the wild with support from TAWA and TAWIRI."
[photo] SNS
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