Tourists draw flak over photos of them grabbing swans
Two Chinese tourists in Japan faced backlash after photos of them handling swans went viral, while a separate incident in China involved a man hallucinating from mushrooms and kissing his pet dog. Both stories highlight bizarre and controversial behaviors reported in regional vernacular media.
Why it matters
These incidents reflect ongoing concerns regarding tourist conduct abroad and the public health risks associated with substance-induced hallucinations.
TWO Chinese tourists in Japan have drawn flak online after photos of them catching swans with their bare hands at Lake Yamanaka went viral, reported China Press.
In the photos, one of the women was seen cradling a swan while the other held another bird by the neck and lifted it into the air to pose for the camera.
The photos drew widespread criticism online as wild swans are protected by law in Japan.
“Isn’t this animal abuse,” one netizen wrote.
Others urged Japanese authorities to take action against them and revoke their tourist visa.
The original social media user who posted the photo later took it down and shut down her account.
A person believed to be one of the women in the photos later released a statement, claiming the photos were AI-generated and that no harm had been done to the birds.
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