A group of tourists who pulled out the hair of a tiger at a zoo in China, thinking it would ward off evil spirits, have sparked outrage online.

On June 8, a viral video showed several visitors at a zoo in Liaoning province, northeastern China, pulling hair from the big cat’s belly and tail through a metal fence.

The incident took place in a special zone where tigers often rest on top of a steel viewing tunnel.

In the video, one of the tourists, a woman, is heard saying: “Let’s pull more! Tiger hair keeps evil away and protects the home.”

A couple of fellow visitors each grab small tufts of hair, and some tie them to their handbags.