Hangzhou zoo in eastern China has denied speculations that some of its bears may actually be humans dressed in costumes
A video showing a sun bear standing on its hind legs had caused social media users to question its authenticity, suggesting it might be a human impersonating the bear due to its slender legs and fur folds.
However, the zookeepers issued a statement clarifying that the bear was indeed real and not a hoax.
They emphasised that Malayan bears, like the one in the video, are petite and the smallest bears in the world.
To debunk the human impersonation theory further, a spokesperson for the zoo explained in an audio recording that it would be impossible for a person in a bear suit to withstand the extreme summer temperatures.
He assured the public that such deception would not occur in a state-run facility.
In response to previous incidents of animals being misrepresented in Chinese zoos, the zoo employee arranged visits for reporters to witness the bears firsthand.
Sun bears typically stand at most 1.3m tall on their hind legs, much smaller than other bear species like grizzlies, which can reach up to 2.8m.
There have been allegations that other Chinese zoos dyed their dogs to look like wolves or African cats, and painted their donkeys to look like zebras.
