Young panda chewing on an empty plastic bottle that had been tossed in its enclosure has sparked online fury.
The giant panda, named Xiyue, narrowly avoided accidentally choking on the bottle cap after discovering it inside its cage at the Nanhu Zoo, located in Yueyang, in China’s southern Hunan Province.
Its caretakers quickly intervened after seeing Xiyue curiously munching on the bottle, apparently having mistaken it for a treat.
A phone video captured by other, horrified visitors shows Xiyue trying to bite through the plastic.
Another plastic bottle could be seen right next to the panda after some tourists had decided to throw away their trash in its living space.
The person who shot and later posted the footage on Douyin, China’s version of TikTok, wrote in outrage: “Where did the bottle come from, not to mention the fact that there was not just one but two mineral water bottles!
“The tourists throwing bottles were not very careful, is everyone suddenly suffering from Parkinson’s disease?
“It’s hard not to be angry!
“Hope Xiyue stays safe and happy. In the video, you can hear the caretaker calling Xiyue.
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“One cannot overly blame the caretakers; after all, they do more than just feed pandas, including bamboo handling, cleaning enclosures, and other tasks.”
The images quickly attracted online attention, prompting a response from the zoo itself, which said: “At around 9:30am on 31stDecember, 2023, a visitor threw an empty plastic bottle at the giant panda Xiyue.
“Staff members immediately intervened, cleaned up the plastic bottle, and brought Xiyue back to its enclosure for inspection.
“Xiyue is reported to be in good health. The visitor was a child of around five years old, who received criticism and education.
“Simultaneously, a serious warning issued to the guardian.
“If there is a repeated violation of the park’s visitor guidelines, entry to the park will be permanently prohibited.”
The zoo did not comment on where the second bottle was from.
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Story By: Simona Kitanovska, Sub-Editor: Marija Stojkoska, Agency: Asia Wire Report
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