A Giant Panda at a zoo in the southern China city of Guilin attacked a tourist who snuck into its pen yesterday. The tourist, a 20 year old student named Liu, told reporters he wanted to cuddle with the animal. Liu had scaled the fence surrounding the Giant Panda’s area, ignoring signs to keep out, and snuck up on the endangered animal, named Yangyang, frightening it in the process. Yangyang proceeded to bite the young man on the arms and legs before being distracted and calmed down by workers at the zoo who rescued Liu from his foolhardy pursuit.

“Yangyang was so cute and I just wanted to cuddle him,” Liu told reporters after the incident, from his hospital bed. “I didn’t expect he would attack.”

For the record, and I cannot stress this enough, animals enclosed behind fences and cages at a zoo or similar facility are not to be messed with. This includes taunting and teasing the animal, and particularly sneaking into its enclosure, regardless of how snuggly it might look.

Giant Pandas are some of the most endangered species on earth and currently number a mere 2,000 in the wild. You can takepart in helping to save endangered species like the Giant Panda by supporting the World Wildlife Fund.

LINKS:

Reuters: Panda attacks man who wanted a cuddle

The Electric New Paper, Singapore: Panda attacks teen looking for a hug

BBC News: Panda attacks man in Chinese zoo