Endangered tigers die of malnutrition at zoo

Chinese state media said 11 Siberian tigers died at a zoo in the country's frigid northeast and animal protection officials suspect that the majority died because they weren't given enough to eat.

The China Daily newspaper reported that the animals were kept in small metal cages at the Shenyang Forest Wild Animal Zoo in Liaoning province and given a meagre diet of chicken bones, apparently because the zoo was strapped for cash.

Two of the tigers were shot dead by police in November after the hungry animals attacked a zookeeper. Another 11 have died since then, all apparently from malnutrition.