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12. 10. 12. - 13:00

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12. 10. 12. - 13:00

Pea Cock-up

Cruel zoo officials are under investigation in China after keepers ruffled feathers by telling how they were forced to tie a mechanical tale on a peacock to cash in on tourists.

Keepers at the Beijing Wild Animal Park were ordered to harness a live bird to a fake tale which is fixed to a motor that spreads the feathers into a magnificent display.

"Visitors are happy to pay to pose in front of a peacock spreading his tale but they only do it in spring when they're breeding," explained one.

"So to keep the money coming in we have to tie the bird to the tail and then they've paid, we spread it out for the picture. The bird is obviously uncomfortable but we'd be sacked if we said no ," he added.

A local police spokesman said: "We have received a number of complaints of animal cruelty and we're investigating."

Austrian Times

What's on at the Haydn cinema this week (23 – 29 May)
The following films are on at the English language Haydn Cinema on the Mariahilferstrasse between May 23 and 29.

East Tirol school kids build solar panels in Tanzania
Sixth-formers at the private mechanical and electronic technical college in Lienz in Tirol have been building solar panels in Tanzania since 2006.

Rock Climbers Time Out Idea To Help Rescuers
A novel idea of a parking clock for outdoor adventures that could save lives has been introduced in Alpine Austria.

Uni offered not enough seminar places
The Republic of Austria has to pay damages to a former student of the Medical University of Graz as the university offered not enough seminar places. The student’s union is pleased with the Supreme Court’s decision.

Spanish Riding School for everyone
The riding centre of Heldenberg, district of Hollabrunn (Lower Austria) is now offering exclusive courses: professional riders of the Spanish Riding School of Vienna teach interested riders.

Vienna advocates a ban on pesticides
Vienna has now joined those Austrian states that advocate a cooperative strategy for a ban of the neonicotinoids pesticides. Apparently, there are tested alternatives for the pesticides that are harmful for bees.

Poisoned eagle is recovering
An eagle is currently being treated in the bird of prey park Telfes, Tyrol (Western Austria). The animal ate the carcass of a dead animal that was shot with lead ammunition. The eagle is likely to survive the contamination.

Football manager Adi Hütter charged with tax evasion
The manager of the football team SV Scholz Grödig (Salzburg state), which will be promoted the Austrian Premier League, will have to go to court this week. He is accused of tax evasion and of having cooperated with the architect Markus Voglreiter.

Opening date of Pyramidenkogel kept secret
In order to prevent a mass rush on the new tower at Pyramidenkogel in Carinthia (Souther Austria), the opening date will be announced at short notice. The attraction is expected to open in the middle of June.

Experts recommend considering breast amputation well
Experts from Salzburg warn against the radical step of a breast amputation. The debate started last week, when Hollywood Star Angelina Jolie announced that she had her breasts removed out of fear of breast cancer.

Don't moan alone, the Ombudsman Investigates.

Why suffer in silence. Let off steam by letting our readers share your troubles. File your complaints about anything and everything here.

Our ombudsman David Rogers will try and help solve some of the problems from lazy civil servants through to incompetent companies – and at the very least the worst transgressors will end up in our weekly special report.