Unbear-lievable scandal at Chinese zoo: Are sun bears actually humans in bear suits? (video)

A Chinese zoo categorically denied its sun bears are humans dressed in bear suits. Hangzhou Zoo finds itself embroiled in controversy as speculations swirl on social media, alleging that its sun bears may not be genuine creatures but humans in bear suits.

The uproar erupted when images of one of the zoo’s sun bears, a species native to Southeast Asia, was captured on camera standing upright in its enclosure surfaced, prompting doubts online about its authenticity.

While it is not uncommon for bears to stand on their hind legs to gain a better view of their surroundings, the particular pose of Hangzhou Zoo’s sun bear triggered a barrage of accusations. Some netizens questioned whether the animal was, in fact, a zoo employee in disguise due to the way its fur sagged above its legs.

Addressing the mounting allegations, Hangzhou Zoo in Zhejiang province, took to its social media account, where they shared statements supposedly from Angela, the Malaysian sun bear residing in the zoo. She said…

“Some people think I stand like a person. It seems you don’t understand me very well.”

The zoo vehemently affirmed that their sun bears are genuine and distinct, despite their smaller size compared to other bear species.

The controversy caught the attention of the Chinese newspaper Hangzhou Daily, which reported on the public’s scepticism, stating that some online users raised concerns about the bears potentially being “humans in disguise.”

The unique posture of the sun bear sparked humorous comparisons, with one social media user likening it to “wearing a leather jacket.” Others commented on its posture, deeming it “more upright” than an average person.

Hangzhou Zoo sought to dispel the rumours by providing information on sun bears’ characteristics. These creatures are about the size of large dogs and can stand up to 1.3 meters tall on their hind legs, quite distinct from towering grizzlies and other species that can reach up to 2.8 meters in height.

In response to the circulating doubts, a spokesperson for the zoo recorded an audio message on a Chinese social media platform, WeChat, reassuring the public that the sun bears were genuine animals.

The spokesperson emphasized that a state-run facility would never indulge in such deceptive practices. Furthermore, the spokesperson debunked the notion of a human in a bear suit, pointing out that the extreme summer temperatures, soaring up to 40 degrees Celsius, would cause the disguise to collapse within minutes.

As the controversy unfolds, Hangzhou Zoo is arranging visits for journalists, providing an up-close encounter with the sun bears to address the scepticism and silence the rumours.

This isn’t the first time Chinese zoos faced scrutiny over animal authenticity. Other instances included accusations of dogs dyed to resemble wolves or African cats and donkeys painted to masquerade as zebras.

Amid the fervour of social media speculations, Hangzhou Zoo stands firm in its denial, maintaining the authenticity of its sun bears and vowing to quell the doubts with transparency and evidence.

Wonder what Winnie the Pooh would make of it all? He is, after all, smarter than the average bear.