CHENGDU, Sept 6 — Crowds in a Chinese eatery ignore their drinks to gather adoringly around four fluffy white ducks, phones poised ready for pictures, at the latest addition to the country’s growing list of popular animal cafes.

"Hey! We go”, a business in the centre of the southwestern city of Chengdu, is proving perfect fodder for the social media-savvy generation.

The four call ducks — a domesticated breed imported from Europe — can retail for the hefty price of ¥10,000 (RM5,845) per duck.

But the cafe’s star attractions are not for sale, and waddle around from table to table to the delight of customers.

This photo taken on August 29, 2019 shows a woman taking a selfie with a mini pig and a friend at Hey! Wego duck cafe in Chengdu in China’s southwestern Sichuan province. — AFP pic ‘

For ¥78, patrons can spend up to 90 minutes with the ducks, which appear unflustered as they are held up in front of cameras and smartphones for duck-selfies.

"They’re really fun and very obedient — not like those swimming ducks, they’re not obedient,” said customer BBQ Suen, a university student who said she came immediately to visit the cafe after reading about it online.

The 26-year-old Luo Yaochi co-founded the popular duck cafe with three others, and said the idea sparked when he recently raised his own pet duck.

"Everyone loves ducks,” he told AFP.

Visitors to the cafe can also spend time with the newest arrivals — two miniature "teacup pigs”, who are also residents of the cafe, and fit neatly inside a pink miniature shopping trolley. — AFP