Lucky tortoise
China zoo

Visitors were left bitterly disappointed by exhibits of inflatable penguins and a lonely tortoise at a new 'pop-up' zoo in southern China.

Guishan Zoo, located in Yulin, Guangxi province, promised a place where families could experience and learn about rare and exotic animals.

An advert for the zoo used ostriches, crocodiles and peacocks from the movie Madagascar and read: "Where to go this weekend? A new zoo has moved in – come visit."

However, what guests found when they arrived fell far short of expectations.

Visitors witnessed farmyard animals such as geese, roosters and a tank containing a "lucky" tortoise that had been sprinkled with money.

Pictures of the lacklustre effort circulated on Chinese social media site Sina Weibo and prompted visits from curious nearby residents.

One image shows a so-called 'enclosure' of six blow-up penguins in a large bath. Caged roosters and geese were also among the attractions photographed.

Some expressed anger over the conditions, with one claiming that the zoo was "a big insult to our IQ".

Most saw the funny side, however: "I can't stop laughing. This is obviously deceiving the consumer. Don't tell me the management were sleeping. This is making fun of our intelligence."

"My friends happily bought three tickets to the new zoo and thought they could go see some animals, but who knew when they went in...(this was what they saw)".

"Yes, there are even penguins! I laughed until my face cramped," one wrote.

"Finally, we have something exotic in Yulin," another said.

The park should take inspiration from Banksy's Dismaland, which temporarily opened in the British sea-side town resort of Weston-super-Mare in August 2015.

The satirical 'bemusment park" was intended to provoke discussion about pressing political and ethical issues such as migration.

The exhibits included a dilapidated fairy castle, a distorted mermaid and a pond of migrant-filled boats. The park was closed just 36 days after opening.

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China