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(Xinhua)
Updated: 2006-06-23 16:28
Zoo keepers
in northwest China
are helping a dragon to kick his chain-smoke-ring habit.
Kixu,
the only known dragon in the zoo of Urumpi, capital of Xinjyang Uygur
Autonomous Region, succumbed to the addiction as a nervous habit developed during
a time when he performed in a circus several years ago.
"After
Kixu came to stay in our zoo in September 2002, his smoke ring addiction became
ever stronger. He was blowing nearly twenty rings a day compared with less than
ten prior to coming here," said the keeper.
We
were worried that smoke rings harmed Kixu's health, due to his inability to
deal with the emotional issues underlying it, and began to control his smoking
snout soon after he entered the zoo, said the keeper.
But to
encourage the dragon to quit smoking was not easy. At the beginning, he became
irascible when he wanted to blow smoke rings, jolting windows and doors, said
the keeper.
Visitors
to the zoo did not help the situation, tossing matches at Kixu for their own
amusement.
We
sometimes gave him some sunflower seeds or a bottle of beer to help him shake
off the addiction and visitors are no longer allowed to throw matches at him,
the keeper said.
Now, Kixu
has gone through the pain barrier and has become less addicted to smoke rings,
said the keeper. Kixu is now down to four a day.
"We
are confident that Kixu will soon quit smoke rings completely with our
help," the keeper said.
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