Heartbreaking video shows the “world’s saddest bear” supposedly being fed carrots because the meat is too expensive.
The images show the surprisingly thin black bear in its concrete enclosure in the Jiulongtan Scenic Area Zoo in Panzhou, southwest China’s Guizhou Province.
A horrified visitor shared the video on social media, in which the bear appears miserable as it could barely move with its extremely thin legs and had an almost invisible waist.
The visitor claimed he spoke to the zookeeper and was told that the lack of tourists meant the owner could barely afford to feed the animals. ‘The most miserable black bear in the world. It is so thin that it looks deformed,’ they said.
“The zookeeper said the owner had run out of money and there were no more visitors, so they switched from feeding dry food to feeding carrots and vegetables every day.”
Footage shows the strikingly thin black bear in its concrete enclosure at the Jiulongtan Scenic Area Zoo in Panzhou, southwest China’s Guizhou Province.
A horrified visitor shared the video on social media, in which the bear looks miserable as it could barely move with its extremely thin legs and had an almost invisible waist.
The visitor claimed he spoke to the zookeeper and was told that the lack of tourists meant the owner could barely afford to feed the animals.
Online commentators criticized the zoo, with users saying: ‘The animals at Panzhou Zoo are really mistreated. They don’t eat well and the atmosphere is terrible. I don’t want to go there after having been there once.
Another wrote: “The bear is as hungry as a dog,” and a third added: “Return the animals to the wild.”
The Panzhou Tourism Industrialization Development Center quickly responded to the complaints and inspected the zoo.
It said the bear had been fed vegetables and steamed cornbread since it was a cub and had become accustomed to the diet.
Now, at over 10 years old, he has aged and eats much less due to his age.
The statement was confirmed by the Panzhou Natural Resources Bureau, which also investigated the incident and promised to continue monitoring the bear in collaboration with other departments.
The office said another black bear living at the zoo is in normal, healthy condition, although it is understood to have been a newcomer.