A Bear Mistaken for a Costumed Human

Hangzhou Zoo in eastern China have denied suggestions that some of their bears were people dressed in costume after footage of a Malayan sun bear (Scientific name: Helarctos malayanus) standing on its hind legs sparked speculation on the Chinese Internet over the weekend. 

The video of the bear – named Angela – interacting with visitors circulated widely online after a 15-second clip was posted on Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok, on July 27. 

Social media users noted the animal's upright posture, as well as the visible folds of fur on its body that resemble humans wearing ill-fitting clothing – thus making the bear look uncannily human. 

The zoo in the eastern province of Zhejiang insisted it really is a bear – just a little smaller and different to the ones we’re used to. 

Malaysian wildlife biologist known for his studies on the Malayan sun bear, Wong Siew Te told CNN: "Most bear species can stand on their hind legs but sun bears stand up high to reach higher ground to investigate their surroundings so there is a purpose to why they do that. Female sun bears even hold their cubs with both hands and walk on their feet, very human like, so I guess that's why people get mistaken". 

Wong added that the bear's loose, saggy skin also serves an important function in the wild, by acting as “armor” from predators, protecting them from deeper bites and injuries. 

Sun bears – the second rarest bear species, after the giant panda – are listed as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and are a protected species in native countries like Malaysia. They are threatened by poachers and deforestation, declining by 35% over the past three decades, according to conservation group, Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Center in Sabah, Malaysia.