Watch: Majestic Tiger Playfully Mimics Toddler At China Zoo

No matter how big they grow or if they live in the wild, looking all scary, tigers can be simply kittens at heart. A recent video has caught the sweetest moment between a toddler and the four-legged feline. Reportedly captured at a zoo in eastern China, the video shows a majestic tiger playfully responding to a toddler’s paw-punching on its glass enclosure. Going viral, the bittersweet encounter is melting hearts online.

As the video plays, the little kid can be seen standing in front of the tiger enclosure, face-to-face with the animal on the other side of the glass. As the kid starts to wave and wiggle his tiny hands, making antic movements, the tiger surprisingly responds by mimicking playful gestures with its paws. Amid all of this, the only sad part was that the animal was away from its natural habitat, living inside an enclosure.

The video has racked in over 20 million views on the platform, with a variety of reactions to it. Many even shared other funny animal videos in the comment section. A user wrote, “Poor kitty doesn’t deserve to be in a tiny cage.”

“It’s bad enough that the beautiful beast is in a cage; don’t let the child torment him. The big cat’s ears are pinned back, which means he’s afraid. I know it’s cute and yadda yadda, but the animal isn’t playing. If the cage wasn’t there, that kid would be dinner. It’s best to teach them to respect the animal,” another commented.

One joked, “That lion smelt dinner at first, lol.”

A user wrote, “Ohhh My boy! My boy thought that he could play with the Tiger. And the Tiger thought the same too. They’ve created the best harmony at the zoo.”

“The tiger understood the assignment,” a comment read.

There are many other videos on the internet that capture the playful nature of the wild animals. Earlier in January, a video featuring a man playing with lion and leopard cubs left the internet confused. Amid a domestic setting, the man was seen affectionately petting and cuddling the wild cats as they sat beside him on a couch.

While some loved their adorable bonding, others went on to criticise the man for confining the animals inside a human home.