"Claims of Private Entertaining and Poor Living Conditions"
There have been claims that Fubao, who was returned to China, is being used for 'private guest services.' The suspicion grew stronger as a 'panda feeding experience' product is being sold at the Sichuan Shensuping Base where Fubao is located.
Recently, photos believed to be of Fubao were posted on Chinese social networking services (SNS), showing the panda up close. The panda in the photos showed signs of hair loss and a flattened mark on its neck, which matched the appearance of Fubao in a video recently released by the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda. The photos also captured scenes where someone seemed to be reaching out to touch or feed the panda, a dirty cement floor, and scattered food pieces.
Chinese netizens raised suspicions, saying things like, "Is Fubao only serving a special few?" and "They said Fubao was given a spacious garden, so why is there a dirty cement floor?" The China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda reported the photos as secretly taken to the police but did not provide any explanation regarding the related suspicions.
As the controversy did not subside, on the 25th, the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda posted a 1 minute and 33 seconds video on their official Weibo account, stating that "Fubao's adaptation is improving." In the video, Fubao appeared thinner than when in Korea. There was a mark on the forehead that looked like a wound, and a mark on the neck that appeared to be from wearing a collar.
The post received comments such as "Please thoroughly investigate the secret filming and promptly announce the results," "If not resolved immediately, there will be suffering ahead," and "More explanation about the rumors seems necessary." The authorities issued a statement saying, "The environment at the Shensuping Base is the optimal place for pandas," and confirmed that "there is no evidence that anyone other than authorized personnel entered, touched, fed, or filmed Fubao."
However, the statement further fueled the controversy. The explanation that unauthorized people do not have contact with Fubao contradicts the response of reporting the incident as illegal filming. It is interpreted that the Chinese authorities are sensitive to public opinion on the internet because if unverified rumors spread, it could disrupt China's efforts to enhance its image through the panda, a national symbol, and potentially affect panda diplomacy with other countries.
Controversies surrounding Fubao continue locally. Last month, right after Fubao arrived at Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport, an incident was reported where a person poked Fubao with bare hands, and reporters posted photos on SNS without wearing masks with Fubao in the background. The research center explained that the poking with a finger was part of a condition check for Fubao and that hand disinfection was completed. Pandas are vulnerable to infections, and in Korea, keepers interacted with Fubao while wearing masks and gloves.
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