According to the official WeChat account of the National Zoological Museum, on August 28th, the museum's surveillance cameras captured the following scene: In the endangered animal exhibition hall on the first floor, two children were playing in front of specimens of a Zhoushan cobra and a Mangshan lancehead viper, repeatedly grabbing and kicking the specimens. Their father, instead of stopping them, picked up the two specimens and handed them to the children, joining in the play. During the incident, the Mangshan lancehead viper specimen was damaged. The National Zoological Museum strongly condemns such behavior. Currently, the National Zoological Museum has preserved the complete and uninterrupted surveillance video of the entire incident and reserves the right to pursue legal action against the individuals involved.

It is understood that the damaged specimen is the Mangshan pit viper, formerly known as the Mangshan pit viper—a species endemic to China. Currently, it is only known to be distributed in parts of the Mangshan National Nature Reserve in Hunan and the Nanling National Nature Reserve in Guangdong. It is a Class I protected wild animal in China, and its wild population is on the verge of extinction.

The National Zoological Museum stated that this was a typical and egregious example of uncivilized visitor behavior—adults not only failed to guide children in respecting the exhibits, but also led by example in allowing the damage. The museum's rule against touching specimens is not just a rule for visitors, but has clear reasons: sweat and oil from hands can corrode specimens; specimens are non-renewable; some specimens retain preservatives. Children who touch specimens and then touch their eyes or mouths without washing their hands pose health risks; specimens are real animals, not models. They are preserved after death for research and public education. Handling them carelessly is disrespectful to the exhibits and their provenance. (Source: CNR.cn)