Get up close and personal with wildlife.

The Shanghai Wild Animal Park in Nanhui District has begun offering tourists the chance to feed various animals including white swans, kangaroos, ostriches and squirrel monkeys.

Park spokesman Su Feilong said nutritious food such as fresh fruit will be prepared for the animals.

"We hope our visitors can get closer, especially emotionally, to these lovely creatures," he said. "They can learn a lot from giving animals food, as well as having more fun."

Courageous visitors can even hold lion and tiger cubs in their arms, or watch a dog surrogate mother nurse them.

The park said it will no longer feed live chickens to the wildlife to attract visitors.

"Wild animals are our friends. They feel pain, dread and love the same as us," Su said. "It's cruel that we regard the strong preying on the weak as entertainment."

(Shanghai Daily March 18, 2005)