Staff Writer
After video of a sun bear standing on its hind legs sparked online suspicions of a furry imposter, a Chinese zoo was compelled to deny that its sun bear is actually a human in a costume.
On Chinese social media, a video of a bear acting out and engaging with a group of people at a zoo in eastern Hangzhou city went viral.
Many people expressed skepticism about the bear’s veracity in their comments, with some claiming that the bear’s bipedal stance and wrinkled skin indicated that it was actually a human in disguise.
The zoo, however, dispelled the rumors, claiming that the bear was real and that those who disagreed with it “really don’t understand me” in a statement published on Sunday from the bear’s point of view.
In a statement, the bear named Angela said, “The zoo director called me after work yesterday and asked whether I’d been slacking off by recruiting a two-legged beast to replace me.
I’ll reiterate: I’m a sun bear. Some people have said that the way I’m standing up seems too human.
Sun bears are native to Southeast Asia, where they get their name from a distinctive patch of brilliant orange or cream-colored breast fur that contrasts with the remainder of their jet-black coat.
It is the tiniest bear and is classified as a vulnerable species because of deforestation and the international wildlife trade. It is roughly the size of a large dog.
Other Chinese zoos have also come under fire for allegedly stocking their enclosures with creatures that are not what they appear to be, including a shaggy dog that was misidentified as a “African lion” and a pool filled with balloons in the shape of penguins.
