A Chinese zoo found itself embroiled in an unusual controversy when video footage of one of its bears standing on its hind legs went viral, leading to wild speculations that the bear might be a human in disguise.
The Hangzhou Zoo, where the bear named Angela resides, faced a barrage of incredulous reactions from visitors who couldn’t believe their eyes.
Responding to the mounting curiosity, Hangzhou Zoo released a statement attributed to Angela, the Malaysian sun bear in question.
The statement addressed the “wild allegations” and humorously pointed out that some people misunderstood the bear’s natural behavior. The slender legs and folds of fur on the bear’s body led some spectators to believe it was a person wearing a bear costume.
Hangzhou Daily, a local publication, initially highlighted the attention the bear was receiving, with online users questioning whether it was a case of “humans in disguise.”
The zookeepers promptly refuted these claims, explaining that sun bears from Malaysia are distinct in appearance from other bears, despite their smaller size. They emphasized that the bear in question was indeed a real sun bear and not a human impersonating one.
To further debunk the human-in-costume theory, zoo officials pointed out the impracticality of a human being able to endure the extreme heat of the summer, with temperatures exceeding 100 degrees. They asserted that anyone wearing a fuzzy bear costume would quickly succumb to the sweltering conditions.
@news.com.au Not totally convinced tbh 🤨 #thatssuspicious #bear #viraltiktok #china
In light of the growing interest in the bear, the zoo arranged visits for reporters to observe the sun bears and gather accurate information about their species. Sun bears are the smallest bears globally and resemble large dogs in size. Standing on their hind legs, they can reach about 50 inches tall, significantly smaller than towering grizzly bears that can stand up to 9 feet tall.
This is not the first time that Chinese zoos have faced accusations of misleading visitors about their animals. Other allegations include dyeing dogs to resemble wolves or African cats, as well as painting donkeys to pass them off as zebras.
I’m not entirely convinced…
