A swan has reportedly died after a tourist dragged the animal from a lake so she could take a selfie with it.
Photos have emerged of a woman, believed to be part of a tourist group from Bulgaria, pulling the animal out of the water near Lake Ohrid in Macedonia.
A woman pulled a swan from the water to have a photo with it
Witnesses told local media that the swan did not react to the woman approaching it, as the animals are used to being left alone.
After the woman took her photo, the swan remained motionless on the shore, Macedonia Online reports.
The animal reportedly died after the incident
It comes weeks after tourists pulled a dolphin from the sea in Argentina to take photos with it.
The rare La Plata dolphin, also known as the Franciscana dolphin, died after it was paraded around a beach by holidaymakers.
Days later, a peacock reportedly died in China after it was manhandled by tourists trying to take a photo with it.
The small dolphin died after being paraded around a beach by tourists in Argentina
Following this latest incident, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) UK lambasted the growing number of "ignorant" tourists who are using animals as photo props.
Mimi Bekhechi, PETA's Director, said: "First a dolphin, then a shark, then a peacock and now a swan.
"How many more examples of animal suffering do we need before ignorant gawkers understand that animals are not playthings for them to use and abuse?
"If they want to risk their own vapid lives grabbing a novelty 'selfie', that's one thing, but to grab and scare an animal to death is quite another.
"This woman has shown a callous – and ultimately fatal – disregard for life by dragging a terrified bird from a lake by his or her sensitive wing.
"Animals are not ours to use for entertainment, and PETA urges all holidaymakers to leave wildlife in peace – and Macedonian authorities to find and throw the book at this woman."
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