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Tourist wrestles with panda in Chinese zoo

October 30, 2016

A tourist was given paws for thought after poking a dozing panda that fought back. The man, who had been trying to impress his female companions, wrestled with his furry foe for five minutes before finally escaping.

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Südkorea Panda Aibao
Image: Reuters/Kim Hong-Ji

Man teased a sleeping panda and then...

According to China's "People's Daily Online," the man was on a tour of the zoo with two female friends when he attempted to climb into the panda house and began teasing the sleeping panda.

Upon being woken, the irritated panda was then seen on surveillance footage hugging the visitor's legs before sitting on him. 

He was trapped for around five minutes. Only when the panda rolled over was the man able to run away.

The visitor, surnamed Chen, said afterwards that he was trying to show off to his female friends by teasing the panda. He later underwent a medical check and was found to be unharmed. 

"The young man left the zoo right after he escaped, and we could not get in touch with him," said Kuang Huaming, the deputy head of the zoo's management office.

"According to witnesses, his trousers were torn a little by the Panda, but the man should be okay. On the other hand, we also arranged medical checks for the panda and told the breeders to closely observe its condition. So far the panda is fine."