A celebrity goose was kicked to death by a woman at a tourist site in China, according to a report by local sources. The bird has thousands of online fans and was known to be gentle.
However, this is reportedly not the case for the woman, who claimed the animal 'scared her daughter.' The goose sustained a broken neck from the kick and succumbed to its injuries.
The apparent perpetrator received backlash online from both the celebrity goose's online fans and sympathizers to its death. The incident occurred even if the owner of the wild goose was present at the site.
A verbal exchange occurred between the owner and the attacker. It is still unclear at this time if charges will or have been filed against the woman.
Woman Kicks Goose to Death
The tragic story occurred at a tourist spot in Shijiazhuang, located in China's northern province of Hebei. The celebrity bird died from the injuries it sustained from the violent kick. The goose's owner also claimed the woman's response was excessive even if she was only protecting her child, the South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported on Thursday, June 29.
It is also still uncertain if whether the goose posed a threat to the woman's child and the public at the time of the incident. However, the animal is beloved by many, especially in mainland China.
The killed goose named "Da Bao" has an online following of more than 40,000 likes on its social media account called "Bar-headed goose Da Bao," which was also being administered by its owner. Like other popular animals on social media, Da Bao's account involved posting of its regular activities and updates.
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Social Media Backlash
Details about the celebrity goose's death were revealed by its owner who posted about the incident on mainland China's unnamed social media platform.
SCMP also reported that the tourist attraction sent a video of the incident to the police. Amid the social media backlash, online users discussed whether bar-headed geese are nationally protected species in China or whether the offender should receive severe punishment.
China Geese Population
Although wild geese are not an endangered species, China's geese population is dwindling for one peculiar reason; they are too well-behaved, according to The Verge. Instead of sneaking out from their habitat in the wetlands to nearby farmlands where food is abundant, the geese population in the country remains in their habitat, the U.S. news website said.
Regardless, the East Asian country's geese are still relevant not only to the ecosystem but also to humans. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Chinese government deployed around 500 geese along the Chongzuo Prefecture to implement its coronavirus restrictions to prevent illegal immigration to China from Vietnam, according to the National Geographic.
The report said the geese were ready to honk or bite in case someone enters illegally.
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