Hotel in China under fire for using endangered pandas to wake up guests
A hotel in China is under investigation after sparking outrage for using red pandas to wake their guests.
The Lehe Ledu Liangjiang Holiday Hotel, in the mountainous countryside near the south-west city of Chongqing, advertised 'red panda-themed holidays', until publicity attracted criticism of the practice.
Videos posted to social media even show the endangered animals sitting on overjoyed tourists' beds and interacting with them, triggering the attention of the forestry bureau, which sent inspectors to investigate.
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The body released a statement to say it had ordered an immediate halt to all 'close contact' activities with red pandas and vowed to report any further findings - which is often seen as a threat of prosecution or fines.
British YouTubers Ben and Reanne Dridger, who post vlogs of their travels through China's provinces, gushed about their own red panda encounter at the hotel in April.
'China is the only place in the world where you can have a panda delivered to your room to sit on your bed with you,' Ben said before panning the camera to Reanne who was hand feeding chunks of apple to the friendly animal, which was one of four kept at the hotel.
Chinese guests posted similar videos of interaction with the animals on Douyin - a popular social media site in the country.
Hotel staff said how long the creatures decide to stay in guest's rooms 'depended on the red panda's mood that day', China Newsweek reported.
Communist Party newspaper The Global Times put out a severe warning that the practice may be a breach of animal rights.
The hotel responded to concerns over red pandas potentially being unhygienic or dangerous to children by insisting they were all vaccinated, and children were required to be accompanied by an adult.
Red pandas are currently listed as an endangered species by the IUCN, and it is believed there are less than 10,000 living in the wild.
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