A hotel in China sparked controversy for using Red Pandas — an endangered animal species — as a special feature to wake up guests, and the government has stepped in to stop it.
Contrary to popular belief, Red Pandas actually aren’t related to their black-and-white counterparts. Instead, they’re closer to critters like raccoons and weasels and are native to the high-altitude forests in Myanmar, Nepal, India, Bhutan, and China.
Their numbers are dwindling in the wild, making them an increasingly endangered animal… but that didn’t stop one hotel in China from using them as an attraction for their guests.
The Lehe Ledu Liangjiang Hotel is a five-star establishment located in southwest China, which until recently, boasted a unique attraction: guests could pay $280 – $450 USD to get woken up by a Red Panda.
Red Pandas are classified as an endangered species – but one China hotel was using the animals as a special feature for guests willing to shell out hundreds of dollars.
These morning calls were reportedly popular among families with young children and quickly went viral on Chinese social media as guests posted videos of the adorable critters climbing onto their beds in exchange for treats and headpats.
While this might seem like a completely unusual attraction for most hotels, the Lehe Ledu Liangjiang actually includes a wildlife park, with one of its key features being “getting close to animals.”
However, after the establishment’s Red Pandas took over the net, authorities stepped in to stop the program.
Chinese government steps in to halt hotel’s Red Panda attraction
As reported by the South China Morning Post, a representative from Chongqing’s Forestry Department ordered the hotel to halt the Red Panda wake-up calls on June 17, and the program is currently under investigation.
In an interview with Beijing News Radio, an associate professor at the Beijing Forestry University explained that the legal nature of such a service is murky. Employees also stated that guests aren’t encouraged to spend too much time with the Pandas and that interactions are limited to short timeframes.
Some guests were reportedly bitten by the Red Pandas, such as a man who was bitten on the lap by one of the critters while playing with it, per the SCMP.
Thus far, China has around 6,000 – 7,000 Red Pandas, which are a Class II protected animal in the country. The IUCN estimates that there are less than 10,000 left in the wild in total.
China’s Wildlife Protection Law specifically prohibits the “sell, purchase, and use” of protected species, but it’s worth noting that some places, like zoos and rehabilitation centers, can show them off to the public for educational reasons.
Red Pandas are typically nocturnal creatures and are quite timid by nature. They can sleep up to 17 hours a day — similar to house cats — and primarily subsist on a diet of bamboo stalks, although they are also carnivorous, occasionally snatching up small birds or rodents.
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