Hangzhou Zoo: Our bears are real, not humans in disguise

A zoo in eastern China has reassured visitors its sun bears are real rather than humans in disguise, after footage of one animal standing like a person sent rumours flying online. Responding to a viral video of a bear on its hind legs, Hangzhou Zoo said people "Don't understand" the species. Sun bears, the smallest bear species in the world, are generally the size of a large dog, the zoo says. In a post written from the perspective of a sun bear called Angela, Hangzhou Zoo said: "Some people think I stand like a person... It seems you don't understand me very well." The zoo, through the bear's voice, instead emphasised sun bears are "Petite, the smallest bear in the world". Hangzhou Zoo's post notes that the bears stand around 1.3m tall when standing up on their hind legs, which is less than half the size of grizzly bears native to North America. Dr Ashleigh Marshall, an expert from Chester Zoo, says the animal in the video is "Definitely a real bear"- although she concedes sun bears do often "Look a lot like people in their costumes".