Sun bear Angela, accused of being a man in a costume, finds global fame

Angela the sun bear has found global fame for her human like behaviour. Photo / X; yicaichina; OOVUU

A Chinese bear at the centre of a controversy has shot to global fame over her human-like behaviour, which led some to believe her to be a human in disguise.

This week Hangzhou Zoo in Zhejiang province had to defend itself from accusations that it was trying to dupe visitors with bear costumes.

Speculation started after video of Angela, one of the zoo’s Malaysian sun bears, showed her standing on thin hind legs, exposing rolls of loose-fitting fur.

After clips of Angela waving at crowds went viral, her zookeepers had to issue a statement that she was “definitely not a human”.

On Monday the zoo invited reporters to see for themselves to lay bare the truth about their fantastic, anthropomorphic bear.

And zookeepers released a message written from the perspective of the bear, confirming she was - in fact - a sun bear.

“I’m Angela the sun bear - I got a call after work yesterday from the head of the zoo asking if I was being lazy and skipped work today and found a human to take my place,” the statement read.

The controversy has made her a star.

Charismatic human-like bears: Sasa the sun bear in her enclosure at Wellington Zoo. Photo / Mark Mitchell

A series of video clips have been seen millions of times across Chinese and Western social media. Despite the accusations, the Guardian reported that the zoo’s daily visitor numbers are up 30 per cent since the videos first surfaced.

The small bears native to Southeast Asia stand around 1.8 metres tall on their hind legs. It’s an uncanny trick that makes them appear more human-like.

New Zealand’s charismatic human-like Sasa, ambassador for Free the Bears

In New Zealand, Wellington Zoo is home to charismatic sun bear Sasa.

“Sun bears are incredibly intelligent animals,” animal care manager Jo Thomas told the Herald earlier.

In 2021 the zoo began offering behind-the-scenes experiences with animal handlers, so visitors could get a better look at the confusingly human-like animals.

Wellington Zoo's sun bear Sasa when she was a cub. Photo / Supplied by Wellington Zoo

Sasa’s father Sean came to the zoo from Cambodia via conservation partnership Free the Bears. Sun bears continue to be vulnerable to man-made threats and habitat loss. Their human-like qualities have led them to be hunted for use in traditional medicines.

Another factor in the sun bear-suit theory are folds of skin that give them the appearance of a costume.

“That is really natural for sun bears, they have the baggy skin,” Wellington mammal keeper Holly McDonald told the Herald. “It’s a form of protection.”

As to fooling around and standing on two legs, McDonald says the bears do this naturally.

“It’s very normal behaviour, even if it catches you off guard. I promise you it’s not a person in a suit.”