Chinese zoo forced to deny bear is a human in costume as people ask more questions
People aren't quite buying the explanation given by a Chinese zoo after allegations that their bear, called Angela, is actually a human dressed in a costume.
Hangzhou Zoo has been forced to deny em-bear-assing claims made on social media that the sun bear at their establishment is not real.
Let's see what you think:
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It all started when a video of the bear - uploaded onto Twitter's new rebranded platform X - started to gain traction online and it appeared to show the large mammal interacting with the public, in a very 'human-like' manner.
The one movement of the bear, that everyone's talking about, shows the back of its body where the skin folds just over its bottom.
As shown in the viral footage, the back curves in a way that looks 'extremely human'.
The short clip is enough evidence to suggest to some that the bear must be an employee dressed in some sort of elaborate costume.
"I wouldn't even be mad of it was someone in a suit. At least that's another bear free," one person commented.
Another quipped: "Tell that bear pull his pants up."
While a third person said: "Thats pretty damn good sitting at the end of the clip, does it exactly how bears do. It would be hard for a man to sit back like that."
"The bears wearing skinny jeans like he’s a fan of one direction," a fourth joked.
"Of course it’s someone in a bear suit, bears grab with their claws not their arms," someone else claimed.
Well, I hate to be the bear-er of bad news but apparently, as pointed out by some viewers, the bear is actually legit.
"That’s a sun bear they always look like a person in a bear costume," one person thought.
A second agreed: "That's a real bear probably.
"Sun Bears are hilariously weird. Every picture nearly. They're doing something silly and weird.
"They walk upright A LOT. They look like people. It's eerie sometimes when you see them walking round upright."
So, the sun bear happens to be the smallest bear, standing nearly 70 centimetres at the shoulder and weighing 25–65 kilograms.
It is stockily built, with large paws, strongly curved claws, small rounded ears and a short snout.
Also, in a quite bizarre post written from the perspective of a sun bear, called Angela, Hangzhou Zoo said: "Some people think I stand like a person... It seems you don't understand me very well.
"When it comes to bears, the first thing that comes to mind is a huge figure and astonishing power… But not all bears are behemoths and danger personified."
So there you have it.
Anish Vij