A sure way to tell that you’re in a cut-rate zoo is if they parade “animals” in front of visitors that are actually humans in animal costumes – y’know like a zoo cosplay – and expect people not to notice. Because of this, there’s controversy bearing down on a state-run zoo in china.
Video below, taken at the Hangzhou Zoo in China’s Zhejiang province, shows a black sun bear interacting with visitors and standing on it’s hind legs. But according to many humans, something seems a bit off with the bear as people are pointing to the size of the bear and the ‘pleating’ of the ‘fur’ as the bear is standing.
The zoo maintains that it is in fact a “real bear” and not an actor or intern in a bear costume – actually doubling down saying that it would’ve been too hot that day (104) for a person to be in a costume without passing out.
The bear (whose name is Angela) responded to the public indictments saying in first person, “Some people thought I looked like a human when I stood up. Obviously, you guys know nothing about me. “Angela” continued by explaining that, “…all bears are not car-smashing giants and that sun bears are petite, the smallest bear in the world.”
Another sure way to tell that a bear is fake is if it responds by speaking… just saying…
Proving there is no such thing as bad publicity though, in the days after the bear clips went viral, the number of visitors to the zoo increased by 30 percent, with many saying they were there specifically to see Angela.
WATCH: 🐻 A viral video of a black sun bear at the Hangzhou Zoo in China's Zhejiang province has some netizens convinced that it is a human in disguise. The zoo has since spoken out to quell the rumours, maintaining that it is "definitely a real animal". pic.twitter.com/hzHOZSnLPT
— TODAY (@TODAYonline) July 31, 2023
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