A zoo in Egypt’s Cairo allegedly painted black stripes on a donkey to make it look like a zebra. The authorities at International Garden municipal park, however, denied it after a student put up the images on Facebook.
Mahmoud Sarhan, whose photos went viral, said that the enclosure contained two animals and both had been painted.
Experts could easily spot the differences – donkeys are smaller in size, with pointed ears and black smudges on the face. Vets confirmed to Egyptian news outlet Extranews.tv that the animals are donkeys. Zebra stripes are straighter and more consistent, they said.
But zoo director Mohamed Sultan insisted that they were zebras, reported BBC.
In 2009, a zoo in Gaza tried to fool the audience when it painted two donkeys to look like zebras. Three years later, another Gaza zoo put up stuffed animals on display. In 2013, a zoo in China’s Henan province claimed a Tibetan mastiff dog as an African lion. In 2017, two zoos in Guangxi province were condemned for displaying plastic penguins and butterflies.
Limited-time offer: Big stories, small price. Keep independent media alive. Become a Scroll member today!
Our journalism is for everyone. But you can get special privileges by buying an annual Scroll Membership. Sign up today!