The zoo subsequently admitted the reality, stating that they had recently colored two Chow Chows, a fluffy dog breed that is well-liked in China, as visitors and others online refused to believe this explanation.
Not unexpectedly, visitors who had been tricked by the scam demanded their money back when they learned the truth. To be clear, we don’t blame them.
This is not the first time a Chinese zoo has attempted to fool tourists by pretending to be Chow Chows instead of pandas.
The Taizhou Zoo acknowledged executing a similar trick again in May, but they stood by it, claiming the disguises were the best option available.
At the time, the Taizhou Zoo said, “We wanted to do this because there are no panda bears at the zoo.” Thus, keep an eye out for imposters in the paddocks the next time you visit a zoo!
