Chinese zoo goes viral amid advert for ‘bear’ job

It went viral after a zoo in China advertised someone who would take on the role of being a bear for £11,000 a year to entertain guests.

The Luohe Wildlife Zoo in Luohe, Henan province, is looking for someone to wear a “soft” black bear costume to roam the grounds and interact with zoo visitors.

But there’s a problem: They’re not allowed to talk.

According to the South China Morning Post, the job posting states that the “bear” is not allowed to talk and can only make purring sounds unless it is an emergency or he needs help.

The job is suitable for individuals who are 18 years of age or older, are physically healthy, and can work six-hour shifts with four days off per month.

The zoo also encourages people to do some interesting stunts like climbing trees or jumping to entertain zoo-goers.

The job posting quotes them as saying: “The weirder it is, the more popular you’ll be. If you’re tired, you can lie down and daydream.”

“If you feel energetic, you can jump, dance, climb trees, even catch fish. Do whatever feels comfortable to you.

“You can act in the most ridiculous ways. The weirder it is, the more popular you become.

Candidates are also required to be “soft” on snacks, and as artists they are allowed to indulge in snacks themselves.

The job posting was designed to increase the number of visitors at the zoo, which only opened in May, and it was stated that more than 100 people applied within a few days.

They also confirmed that they filled all open positions but did not disclose how many people they found.

Following the announcement, a spokesperson for the zoo told New Weekly magazine that a candidate could earn more than the base salary if they make a name for themselves on social media.

A spokesman said: “This could represent a unique employment opportunity for young people and help our zoo explore new avenues of income.”