Zoo Denies Its Bears Are Humans in Disguise

A zoo in China is pushing back against rumors that its sun bears are humans in bear costumes. Some zoos in China have been accused of trickery including painting donkeys to look like zebras, but the Hangzhou Zoo says its bears are the real thing, the AP reports. Rumors spread after a zoo visitor shared video of one of the endangered bears standing on its slender hind legs in what appeared to be a very human-like pose. Viewers also noted that the bear's skin was saggy around its hips, suggesting it could be an "ill-fitting bear suit," reports the BBC.

The zoo responded with a social media post written from the bear's perspective. "Some people think I stand like a person ... It seems you don't understand me very well," it said. "When it comes to bears, the first thing that comes to mind is a huge figure and astonishing power," it said, per the Guardian, "but not all bears are behemoths and danger. We Malayan bears are petite, the smallest bear in the world." The post noted that the bears are only around 4 feet tall when standing on their hind legs. A zoo spokesman said deception would not occur in a state-run zoo—and in any case, a person in a fur suit "would not last more than a few minutes before collapsing" in the summer heat. (More zoo stories.)