Zookeepers bare their souls to inform visitors

The memorial soon became the cause of an online discussion, with many giving the zoo a thumbs-up, saying that the obituary reflected the keepers' respect for every life, while others questioned the zoo's methods after learning the cat had died after choking on chicken while eating.

The park replied in a statement that it would review the incident and reassess the risks in its current breeding management program.

The media whirlwind hasn't deterred the zookeepers. They continue to write memorials for their deceased friends. The latest death notice posted by the Hongshan Forest Zoo was for a bird, which was rescued from the wild by the zookeepers, but died in February after being caged with other species. "This is a warning about the safety of mixing animals in small spaces. How to reduce the risk needs our professional and continuous assessment and attention," says the obituary, which is still on display at the zoo.

Peng says it is a keeper's responsibility to inform visitors about the deaths of animals that were once kept at the zoo for exhibition.

Celebrity animals, such as pandas, koalas and meerkats, draw more attention from tourists, but most animals live in anonymity, without fans coming specifically to see them, Peng says.

The death notices make people aware of the existence of more zoo animals.

Peng still remembers the scene two years ago, when she saw some kids reading the obituary of a boar, word-by-word with the help of their parents. Several months later, she was surprised, and moved, to find a small white chrysanthemum attached to the notice.