Man mauled to death by tiger at resort in China

Tigers try to catch a piece of chicken inside their enclosure at Sriracha Tiger Zoo in Chon Buri province on Monday (Reuters photo)

BEIJING -- The fatal mauling of a man // by a tiger at a Chinese resort zoo  // is under investigation by local authorities  // who say the victim climbed a fence into the animal's enclosure.

The attack occurred Saturday // at a resort on Dongqian Lake in eastern China's Zhejiang province. // A local government statement said the victim, //  identified only by his surname of Zhang, // and a male friend // climbed over a fence  // instead of buying entrance tickets.

The statement said // Zhang's wife and two children, // as well as his friend's wife, // bought tickets to enter the zoo.

They reportedly passed through wire netting // and Zhang eventually climbed a wall  // to enter the tiger enclosure, //  while his friend stayed back. // The statement said // a tiger attacked him inside the enclosure, // as visitors to the park apparently watched from a distance. // Photos and video shared on social media // appear to show  // Zhang lying on the ground as tigers circle him.

State television reported // one tiger was shot dead by local police, // and three others nearby were dispersed // using firecrackers. // One video posted online shows // a tiger gnawing on his body // as people can be heard screaming.

Zhang died later in a hospital.

The incident drew a protest // from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, or PETA, // which said it reflected  // the problems of keeping tigers and other large cats in captivity.

"Attacks by captive big cats on people // - which occur with staggering regularity - //  illustrate // the profound level of stress, anxiety and agitation // these animals experience every day of their lives,'' // PETA's vice president of international campaigns, Jason Baker, said in a statement.

Two women were attacked by Siberian tigers in July // when they left their vehicle at a Beijing safari park. // One woman was killed, // and the other seriously injured.