BEARING ALL
Bizarre video of sun bears wearing ‘baggy trousers’ in Chinese zoo has internet convinced they’re HUMANS in costume
A BIZARRE video showing bears walking around like people has led people to believe they are "humans in disguise".
The strange clip, shared on social media, showing bears standing on their hind legs, in a human-like posture, has left users baffled.
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People are adamant the animals are actually people in costumes, with some noting that they look like they are wearing baggy trousers.
The widespread speculation has forced a zoo in China to deny the rumours and explain they are sun bears.
The Hangzhou Zoo dismissed the claims and said that sun bears from Malaysia are smaller than other bears and look different.
In a statement, written from the bear's perspective, called Angela, it said: "The zoo director called me after work yesterday and asked if I'd been slacking off by finding a two-legged beast to replace me.
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"Some people thought the way I stand up looks too human...It seems you don’t understand me very well so I will stress again: I'm a sun bear!
"When it comes to bears, the first thing that comes to mind is a huge figure and amazing power...But not all bears are behemoths and danger personified."
"Because of the way they stand, some people online question whether they are 'humans in disguise,'" Chinese newspaper Hangzhou Daily said.
In an audio recording circulating on WeChat, a spokesperson for the zoo confirmed the animal was real and noted that during 40C heat a human in a fur bear suit "would not last more than a few minutes before collapsing".
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Sun bears are the size of large dogs, standing at most 50 inches tall on their hind legs, compared with up to 9 feet for grizzlies and other species, according to the zoo.
Other Chinese zoos have previously been accused of trying to pass off dogs dyed to look like wolves or African cats, and donkeys painted to look like zebras.
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