San Antonio Zoo Bear Claims He's the Real Deal

The incident at a Chinese zoo went viral after people at the zoo took pictures of a sun bear in the exhibit claiming that the bear did not appear to be real. People said it looked like a man wearing a bear suit. The pictures went viral online, sparking discussion and debates across the country trying to determine the authenticity of the sun bear. 

Following the accusation, CNN obtained a statement from the zoo that read, “I’m Angela the sun bear – I got a call after work yesterday from the head of the zoo asking if I was being lazy and skipped work today and found a human to take my place. Let me reiterate again to everyone that I am a sun bear – not a black bear, not a dog – a sun bear!”

The San Antonio Zoo joined in on the fun with the Instagram post. KSAT, a local news station in San Antonio, reached out to Zoo officials to receive more information on Curt, the spectacled bear. Zoo officials said spectacled bears are native to South America, residing in the Andes Mountains.

“They get their name from the cream-colored markings they often have around their face and eyes, resembling glasses,” said Jacob Downing of the San Antonio Zoo. “Their species population listed as ‘Vulnerable’ by the IUCN, which is primarily due to habitat loss and poaching.”

Dowing referred to the 10-year-old bear as quite the character. “He is known for often resting in human-like and unconventional ways,” Downing said. “Curt can often be seen swimming in his pool or resting in his hammock. While he mainly eats fruits and vegetables, his favorite treat is fish.”