Siberian tigers play in Heilongjiang Siberian Tiger Park of Harbin City, Northeast China's Heilongjiang Province. (Photo: China News Service/Liu Dan)
(ECNS) -- Heilongjiang Siberian Tiger Park in Northeast China's Harbin City has released new photos showing the big cats as majestic looking after netizens ridiculed images that made them resemble "chubby, inflated balloons."
The hashtag "Siberian tigers as fat as balloons" was widely shared on Chinese-Twitter like social network Weibo after the city's tourism bureau released photos on Feb. 4, showing the cats as clumsy, fat kittens. By Feb. 9, the pictures had gone viral with more than 6,000 shares and 20,000 likes.
Many Weibo users mocked themselves as being similar to the tigers after gaining weight during freewheeling Spring Festival feasts.
"This looks me after the holiday," said one user.
"Tigers, you are like round, chubby, inflated balloons," wrote another.
Staff at the park in Heilongjiang Province said Siberian tigers eat more in winter to save energy but they are not as fat as balloons.
The pictures widely shared online were taken from certain angles, but the tigers are certainly still imposing and awe-inspiring, staff added.
The park also released more photos of the tigers on Friday, challenging netizens to visit for verification.
It covers 1.44 million square meters, including 360,000 square meters for about 30 adult tigers. Visitors can take special vehicles to get a closer look at the animals.
