Boy Loses Arm to Bear in Zoo

Boy Loses Arm to Bear in Zoo
Oct 21, 2014 By eChinacities.com

A bear in a zoo in Henan province bit off the arm of a nine year-old after he tried to feed it through the cage last Saturday afternoon.

The attack happened at Pingdingshan Hebin Park’s zoo, when the boy, named Congcong, jumped over the guard rail and tried to feed the bear. After reaching into the cage, the bear bit into Congcong’s arm. The boy struggled for around ten minutes and eventually got away, but the bear had ripped off most of his right arm. Congcong was then treated at Pingdingshan Number 152 Hospital, where the remainder of his right arm had to be amputated as a result of the attack.

Congcong’s relatives claim that there were no members of staff at the scene and it took more than 10 minutes for someone to arrive. The boy had gone to visit the zoo with his grandfather.

The zoo paid for Congcong’s ambulance and treatment although it wasn’t made clear whether the sum would have to be paid back by the family.

The bear’s enclosure has been closed to the public.

Source: photo.gmw.cn

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Keywords: Bear Bites off Boy’s Arm

13 Comments

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WendyInChina

I've seen many times where the Chinese tease the zoo animals and dont obey the rules set in place to protect them and the animals. I hope this sets a good example for the other idiots - what not to do. Its not the animals fault and also not the zoos fault.

Oct 23, 2014 06:57 Report Abuse

wagon

Grandfather of the year.

Oct 22, 2014 15:55 Report Abuse

QDasmond

:( I feel very bad for the boy. He lost one of his arms, so how could I not? Yes, what he did was exceedingly foolish, but that's to be expected of an eleven-year-old boy. For that reason, I don't feel that we should mock him. Had he been ten years older, he probably would not have attempted it. The fault belongs to the zoo, which failed to put up walls that no foolish eleven-year-old could ascend, and apparently posted no guards to prevent such children from attempting it. It says that his grandfather was also present. I'd want to know how physically fit and mentally sound that man was before I added him to the list of culprits. It's true that one of the themes belying this event is the woefully bad manner in which Chinese treat wildlife. Of course there's a bit of poetic justice in the idea of a mistreated animal striking back at its human captors. But, the victim here was a little boy barely old enough to know right from wrong. We mustn't forget that as we shake our heads.

Oct 22, 2014 11:43 Report Abuse

Karajorma

He was nine actually. I don't know. At the age of nine I knew enough to never try feeding a bear at the zoo. I was well aware that it might try to eat me. Would a Chinese kid aged nine know this, I don't know but it's definitely a failing of the parents if he didn't. Did he deserve to lose an arm, absolutely not. I can't blame a nine year old for not educating themselves as to the danger of bears. As for the zoo, I don't know if I agree that they are to blame. In the West we often go too far to protect people from the consequences of our own stupidity. I remember that in the first university I taught in, there was a golf driving range with a very steep embankment around it that basically made it a massive pit. In the West it would be fenced off. There it simply had a sign saying "Don't fall down the pit" That really should be enough.

Oct 22, 2014 16:41 Report Abuse

WendyInChina

I dont think it would have made a difference if he was an adult, Ive seen them do the same....

Oct 23, 2014 07:01 Report Abuse

nzteacher80

Reports say the bear was hungry again half an hour later.

Oct 22, 2014 10:59 Report Abuse

Stiggs

Barriers and signs are there for a reason people, ignore them at your peril but don't blame someone else when the inevitable happens...It makes me wonder if the point of the cages are to keep the animals in, or the people out.

Oct 22, 2014 09:24 Report Abuse

tbh66

Retribution by the bear. The Chinese enjoy eating bear claws, bear wanted to sample a "human" claw, fair game.

Oct 22, 2014 08:03 Report Abuse

Robk

Ah yes, the blame game. He jumped over the guard rail and tried feeding a bear but of course the zoo staff are to blame. Not his incompetent guardians. We have all seen this, kids running around wild while their grandparents just give up trying to discipine them. Not surprised this happened at all! Maybe this should be added to the 16 things foreigners envy about China article: Parenting

Oct 21, 2014 22:48 Report Abuse

tokagesa

Totally right. Throwing the responsibility on someone else and in the meantime trying to get some money

Oct 23, 2014 14:22 Report Abuse

yongge

I guess he shouldn't have jumped over the guard rail then. The way people, particularly Chinese, treat wild animals as if they are pets, p!sses me off immensely. I went to Jingyuetan Park outside Changchun a few weeks ago, and was generally impressed, they have bears, lions and tigers, among others. Then I saw the circus show, with the same tigers, lions and bears having to perform tricks for the spectators. Why can't they just look at them?

Oct 21, 2014 22:45 Report Abuse

coineineagh

bear's a goner.

Oct 21, 2014 21:37 Report Abuse

tokagesa

or maybe idiocracy

Oct 23, 2014 14:19 Report Abuse