BEIJING // A three-year-old female polar bear kept in a shopping mall aquarium in south-western China, at the centre of an animal rights controversy, is showing signs of mental decline, say animal rights group.
The bear, named Pizza, attracted the attention of international news media in July after Hong Kong-based Animals Asia posted a video showing visitors at the Guangzhou mall taking photos of her as she lay on her side inside her enclosure.
The group called Pizza “the tragic bear that suffers for selfies”.
Humane Society International (HSI) released a video of Pizza on Tuesday, which it said showed “worrying stereotypical behaviours such as head swaying and repetitive pacing, evidence of frustration and mental decline”.
The group and three Chinese animal rights groups held a press conference on Tuesday calling for the closure of the aquarium at Grandview Mall.
Yu Hongmei, founder of Dalian-based VShine animal protection association, said on Tuesday that “a shopping mall is not the place to exhibit animals”.
British newspaper The Telegraph, Time magazine and other global media outlets have also called Pizza "the world's saddest polar bear".
Grandview Mall Aquarium on Wednesday said they disagreed with the animal rights groups’ reports on Pizza’s condition.
They released their own video that showed Pizza swimming in his aquarium and getting fed by staff.
Grandview said that polar bear’s tank, at 150 square metres, complies with Chinese regulations for such enclosures.
* Reuters
