A themed hotel in China’s northeast province of Harbin has received backlash from animal activists around its unique offering – polar bears.
Billed as a world first, the Harbin Polar Bear Hotel located in the Harbin Polarland theme park, provides guests with panoramic views of captive bears in a central courtyard. The 21 guest rooms allow visitors to check in to polar-themed rooms with the promise of round-the-clock viewing.
The hotel opened on 12 March 2021 and was fully booked during the trial operation.
The nightly rates range from 1,888 yuan ($290) to 2,288 yuan ($444).
“Whether you’re eating, playing or sleeping, polar bears will keep you company,” said the hotel’s Weibo account.
Photos and videos from Chinese state and media showed people watching two polar bears in an indoor enclosure under harsh warm lights and featuring artificial ice, fake rocks, small pools of water and a painted white floor.
Many Chinese citizens expressed on social media, that the bears would collapse if the lights were left on at night.
Yang Liu, a spokeswoman for Harbin Polarland, told Reuters that the indoor area is only part of the bears’ total enclosure, and that they are let outdoors when temperature and air quality permit.
There also has been massive backlash from conservationists.
“Polar bears belong in the Arctic, not in zoos or glass boxes in aquariums – and certainly not in hotels,” Jason Baker, senior vice president at animal rights group PETA, told Reuters.
“Polar bears belong in the Arctic, not in zoos or glass boxes in aquariums – and certainly not in hotels,” Jason Baker, senior vice president at animal rights group PETA, told Reuters.
In response to the accusations, a staff member at the hotel told the Global Times that the polar bears housed inside the hotel “may turn off the lights at night” and they have man-made dens to live in but responded vaguely to questions over whether the bears’ lives were affected.
According to media reports, two polar bears at the Harbin Polarland suffered depression years ago because of their cramped living conditions, and finally recovered after being moved into a new, larger venue.
Zheng also said that in the wild, polar bears can cover a range of tens of thousands of square kilometers, while being kept in playgrounds and hotels, the lights, temperatures and facilities are unable to meet the animals’ basic environmental needs.
According to a survey conducted by the World Animal Protection, nearly 90 percent of tourists are willing to choose “wildlife friendly” travel.
A number of zoos in China have already cancelled wild animal shows and are actively engaged in public awareness campaigns focused on animal welfare.
