Japanese zoos have staff 'dress up' as pandas.

(CLO) A zoo in Japan has allowed its staff to dress up as pandas in its enclosure to commemorate the four pandas recently returned to China.

The event took place at Adventure World amusement park in Wakayama Prefecture, following the return of four pandas – 24-year-old mother Rauhin and her three cubs, Yuihin, Saihin, and Fuhin – to China last June. This event marked the end of 31 years of panda breeding at the park. Rauhin was also the first panda born and successfully raised in Japan.

While it remains unclear whether Adventure World will accept new pandas amid rising China-Japan tensions, the park is maintaining its panda facilities and continuing to host related activities.

A zoo employee wearing a panda-shaped hat is inside a cage and being "fed".

In December, Japanese media reported on a unique weekly tour held at a former panda breeding facility, which subsequently garnered significant attention on Chinese social media.

Accordingly, participating tourists would play the role of panda caregivers and feed one of four "pandas"—played by staff members who take turns impersonating them. In a viral video , a staff member wearing a panda-shaped hat pretends to eat an apple given to them by a participant.

Visitors are also allowed into the panda enclosure, which opens to the public after the real pandas leave. At the end of the program, participants receive a "panda guardian" certificate.

This activity is part of the Panda Lovers Club, a project initiated by Manami Wakabayashi, a public relations officer at Adventure World. She says she has been involved in panda care for three decades. The project also includes talks by caregivers about their memories with pandas, lectures, and tours of the animal play area.

Meanwhile, the last two pandas remaining in Japan, twins Xiao Xiao and Lei Lei, born at Ueno Zoo in Tokyo, are expected to be returned to China at the end of January. Prior to this, many visitors lined up at the zoo to say goodbye to the last remaining pandas.

Source: https://congluan.vn/so-thu-nhat-ban-cho-nhan-vien-dong-vai-gau-truc-10326150.html