Zoo’s ‘barking’ pandas turned out to be painted dogs

Things you most associate pandas with: being big and fluffy, eating bamboo, and rolling down slopes.

Things you don’t recognise them for: barking.

People visiting a zoo in China demanded their money back after pandas in an enclosure turned out to be painted dogs.

It’s alleged visitors to the attraction in Guangyuan raised suspicions after two of the animals began barking.

Footage shared online shows two odd looking animals, with black ears, links and dark circles around their eyes – but with very evident canine features.

The zoo claims it didn’t mislead people because the ‘rare and exotic’ animals were declared to be ‘panda dogs’.

In an interview with local media, the zoo admitted to dyeing two Chow Chows, which are a breed of spitz dog from northern China famous for their thick coats.

The breed is known for its lion-like mane and is often depicted in Chinese art and literature.

Chow chows remain a symbol of ‘nobility and prestige’ in Chinese society, as do the famous Giant Pandas.

This isn’t the only time that ‘bears’ have made headlines after accusations of being faked.

Last year, another zoo in China was forced to release a statement to confirm that its resident Sun Bear was in fact an animal and not a human in costume.

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

For more stories like this, check our news page.