‘Man in bear costume’ divides further opinion after waving to visitors

While it's usually celebrities breaking the internet, one bear has continued to divide opinion online.

This comes after a video of Angela the sun bear went viral, with some viewers claiming that the animal was actually a man in a suit due to its unique appearance.

Although Hangzhou Zoo has denied the claims, a new clip of the animal waving at tourists has brought conspiracy theorists out of hibernation.

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Much like the children’s song, visitors to Hangzhou Zoo were in for a big surprise as Angela was filmed gesturing at tourists while on her hind legs.

Gazing at people surrounding her enclosure, the sun bear seems captivated by her audience and even seemed to respond to people yelling ‘hello’ at her.

It comes just days after Angela was captured on camera, with people on social media commenting on her ‘lanky’ and ‘uncanny’ human-like appearance.

Twitter

One shot even seemed to show the bear with saggy skin around its bottom, causing many to question whether it was part of an elaborate hoax to attract tourists.

However, Hangzhou Zoo quickly leapt to the defence of the bear, posting from her perspective on social media.

It wrote: “Some people think that I am a person when I stand up…

“It seems that you don’t know me too well.”

Other experts have also weighed in, not only confirming that the bear is real but giving an explanation for her strange stance.

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Dr Ashleigh Marshall, from Chester Zoo, told the BBC that the sun bear's saggy skin is a defence mechanism as the looseness allows it to 'turn around in their skin' and fight back if a large animal were to get hold of them.

However, the expert did concede that they often ‘look a lot like people’ in costumes due to this.

In fact, sun bears are known for their odd appearance, often standing on their hind legs to investigate things and pick up a scent when needed.

Despite many continuing to question Angela’s authenticity, there has been one major positive as people flock to Hangzhou Zoo.

According to the Daily Mail, the centre has seen a 30 percent jump in visitor numbers with people eager to see the now-viral bear and learn more about the sun bear species.

It’s un-bear-lievably good news for nature lovers!

Topics: Animals, World News, Weird

Katherine Sidnell

Katherine is an entertainment journalist with a love of all things nerdy. Starting out writing Doctor Who fan fiction as a kid, she has gone on to interview the likes of Matt Damon, James May and Dua Lipa to name a few. Published in The Sun, The Daily Mail and Evening Standard - she now joins Ladbible as resident nerd in chief.

@ksidnell