China: Viral Video Shows ‘Pandas’ Who Bark Like Dogs, Officials Come Clean After Outcry
The zoo initially claimed that the animals were a rare breed called "panda dogs," but later admitted that they had dyed Chow Chows to resemble pandas.
A zoo in Shanwei, China, has admitted that the pandas exhibiting unusual behaviours, such as panting and barking, were just "dogs." Visitors were left astonished after noticing the odd behaviour of the supposed pandas when they encountered it for the first time. After public outrage and widespread criticism, zoo officials came clean about their deceptive practices used to attract guests.
They revealed that ordinary dogs had been painted with black and white markings to resemble pandas, faking unsuspecting visitors.
A Chinese Zoo was caught painting dogs and passing them off as pandas.
— The Maverick Approach (@Maveapproach) September 19, 2024
What If I told you pandas aren’t real? They were first discovered in the 1920/30s
Why hasn’t anyone seen a panda in the wild for thousands of years beforehand?
That’s because they are manmade. 🐼 pic.twitter.com/e3i5pajhf8
A viral video captured by a visitor showed one of the 'pandas' panting on a rock, while another was seen walking around with a curly tail. Initially, the zoo tried to claim the animals were a rare breed called "panda dogs," but the truth soon surfaced. The zoo eventually admitted they had dyed chow chows, as reported by the New York Post.
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Similar 'Panda Dog' Incident At Zoo In China's Jiangsu Province
This isn't the first instance of a Chinese zoo deceiving visitors with claims of having real pandas. In May, NBC News reported that Taizhou Zoo in Jiangsu Province had also painted Chow Chows to resemble pandas. Initially, zoo officials described the animals as a rare breed of "panda dogs," but later admitted that no such breed exists. They told Chinese state media that while they had promoted the animals as "panda dogs," they had not intended to mislead the public.
When questioned about the invention of "panda dogs" to cover their tracks, a zoo representative explained, "There are no panda bears at the zoo, and we did this as a result."
The zoo faced criticism from state media and the public, who accused them of mistreating the dogs. “It is not funny at all to dye Chow Chow dogs to attract tourists," one user commented on Weibo, China's version of X (formerly Twitter), highlighting the dogs' vulnerability to skin diseases due to their delicate skin and thick coats.
Despite the backlash, zoo officials defended their decision, claiming the dye didn't harm the dogs and reasoning that if humans could dye their hair, so could dogs.
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