Latest news with #redpanda
South China Morning Post
2 days ago
- General
- South China Morning Post
China hotel uses red panda for morning calls, triggers safety concerns, service suspension
A five-star hotel in China has sparked controversy by using a red panda for morning calls, prompting an investigation and suspension of the service by authorities. Advertisement The establishment, Lehe Ledu Liangjiang Hotel, located in southwestern China's Chongqing municipality, raised public concerns after several guests shared videos of their morning calls delivered by an adorable red panda. In the footage, the animal climbs onto beds and desks in hotel rooms, where guests are invited to pet and feed it. In the footage, the animal playfully climbs onto beds and desks in hotel rooms, where guests are encouraged to pet and feed it. Photo: Douyin Opened in 2010, the hotel is part of a tourist resort that includes a wildlife park and features over 100 rooms. Its service offerings include 'getting close to animals'. The rooms that feature the red panda morning calls are priced between 2,000 and 3,000 yuan (US$280 to US$420) per night, and they remain especially popular among families with children. The hotel employs four red panda 'staff members', including an adult red panda, about two years old, that provides the morning call service. The hotel has four red panda 'staff members', including an adult red panda, around two years old, that provided the morning call service. Photo: Douyin Guests typically have a few minutes to interact with the red panda, depending on its mood, with a caretaker present for safety reasons.
Daily Mail
7 days ago
- Daily Mail
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. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO 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.
The Independent
7 days ago
- Health
- The Independent
Animal welfare concerns halt hotel's panda wake-up service
A Chinese hotel's unique red panda wake-up service, where the animals visit guests' rooms and climb on beds, has been ordered to stop. The Chongqing Forestry Bureau mandated the halt due to concerns over animal welfare, potential injury, and disease transmission. The Lehe Ledu Liangjiang Holiday Hotel in Chongqing attracted many guests specifically for this popular interaction with its four resident red pandas. Animal rights experts, including Sun Quanhui from World Animal Protection, stated that red pandas are a nationally protected species and should not be used for entertainment, citing their sensitive nature. The forestry bureau is currently conducting an on-site investigation at the hotel and will release its findings.
Yahoo
7 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Endangered spider monkey and panda arrive at zoo
Two new animals have arrived at Paignton Zoo as part of a conservation breeding programme. A female red panda, an endangered species, and a female brown spider monkey, a critically endangered species, have been transported from zoos in France to the Devon site. Brown spider monkeys were added to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List in 2020 because their populations in Columbia and Venezuela were declining due to the pet trade and habitat destruction. The IUCN said it believed there were fewer than 10,000 mature red pandas in the wild after their habitats in China had been destroyed. The panda will join a female called Ember while the spider monkey will join a troop consisting of females Luna and Lena and male Kikou. Zookeepers said the monkey would initially remain off-show to visitors while the primates were introduced. Mammal keeper at Paignton Zoo James Shora said: "The red pandas offer those quieter, more contemplative moments, while the spider monkeys bring incredible dynamic energy from the forest canopies of South America. "It's like having two completely different worlds side by side." The red panda came from Les Terres de Natae, Pont-Scorff and the brown spider monkey from Zoo Amiens Métropole. More news stories for Devon Listen to the latest news for Devon Follow BBC Devon on X, Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to spotlight@ Devon zoo announces arrival of red panda cubs Escapee panda wanders round Newquay New rules make it harder to keep primates as pets IUCN Red List Paignton Zoo
BBC News
7 days ago
- General
- BBC News
Brown spider money and red panda arrive at Paignton Zoo
Two new animals have arrived at Paignton Zoo as part of a conservation breeding programme.A female red panda, an endangered species, and a female brown spider monkey, a critically endangered species, have been transported from zoos in France to the Devon spider monkeys were added to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List in 2020 because their populations in Columbia and Venezuela were declining due to the pet trade and habitat IUCN said it believed there were fewer than 10,000 mature red pandas in the wild after their habitats in China had been destroyed. The panda will join a female called Ember while the spider monkey will join a troop consisting of females Luna and Lena and male said the monkey would initially remain off-show to visitors while the primates were keeper at Paignton Zoo James Shora said: "The red pandas offer those quieter, more contemplative moments, while the spider monkeys bring incredible dynamic energy from the forest canopies of South America. "It's like having two completely different worlds side by side."The red panda came from Les Terres de Natae, Pont-Scorff and the brown spider monkey from Zoo Amiens Métropole.
