Zoo in China Denies Its Bears Are Costumed People Soon after Viral Pictures

• A Chinese zoo has denied its bears are costumed people soon after viral written content raised suspicions.
• Video clips and images showed a bear standing on its hind legs with pant-like folds on its rear.
• China has a historical past of zoos trying to move off animals as unique species.

A zoo in China has denied that its bears were essentially people dressed in costumes following images and video clips of a bear standing on its hind legs in a human-like stance went viral, The Associated Push documented.

A zoomed-in graphic from footage of the bear showed the animal with pant-like folds on its rear, and the Hangzhou Every day explained Weibo people were questioning irrespective of whether the zoo was working with “human beings in disguise,” the AP described.

But Hangzhou Zoo pushed again on Monday, insisting that their Malaysian sun bears have been the real write-up.

 

“Some men and women consider I stand like a human being,” the zoo mentioned in a social media publish, speaking in the animal’s voice, the AP reported. “It looks you never realize me really nicely.”

Portion of the zoo’s denial hinged on the very hot temperatures on the working day of the recording, which were about 104°F according to the Chinese outlet Phoenix New Media.

A man or woman carrying a sensible bear fit would not be ready to tolerate that warmth, the zoo claimed, for every the media outlet.

The zoo also explained that sunshine bears — the smallest species of bear — have a significantly delicate temperament which implies it is not abnormal for them to stand up to interact with guests.

An staff at the zoo refused to converse with AP on the topic but said visits have been remaining arranged for reporters to come to see the animals for by themselves, the information agency noted.

While the zoo’s general public denial may possibly feel peculiar, there is a peculiar historical past in China of zoos passing off people or other animals as entirely distinct species.

MailOnline noted in 2019 that two zoo personnel at Yancheng Wild Animal Entire world in Changzhou dressed in gorilla costumes and jumped about the enclosure.

Just after people complained, the zoo mentioned it was an April Fools’ Working day prank, MailOnline claimed.

And in 2013, a zoo in Louhe, China, tried out to pass off a canine as a lion. The “African lion” on screen was essentially a Tibetan mastiff, with dogs also getting put in the zoo’s wolf cage, CNN described. The news outlet also explained the leopard enclosure at the zoo contained a white fox.