CHINA: On Thursday (19 September), a social media user shared a video showing a giant panda named Ding Ding (丁丁) knocking down a zookeeper at Chongqing Zoo.

In response to inquiries, zoo staff confirmed that both the zookeeper and the 9-year-old panda were unharmed and that Ding Ding continues to be exhibited as usual.

The video, circulated on Chinese social media platform Weibo, shows a zookeeper noticing that Ding Ding was attempting to escape through a partially open gate. The zookeeper rushed to close the gate, which produced a loud noise.

However, the gate wasn’t fully secured, and Ding Ding can be seen trying to open it again.

Visitors alerted the zookeeper, who rushed back to shut the gate.

This action seemingly agitated the panda, who then turned its attention toward the zookeeper.

During a brief chase, Ding Ding knocked down the zookeeper.

In the footage, some visitors can be heard advising others to stay calm and avoid shouting.

This is not the first such incident at the zoo.

In April 2024, another panda knocked over another zookeeper.

The zoo’s management reported that on 23 April, at around 2:00 PM, a zookeeper was guiding two pandas, Yu Ke (渝可) and Yu Ai (渝爱), to a feeding area when they chased and knocked the zookeeper down.

Fortunately, neither the zookeeper nor the pandas were injured.

Following that event, the zoo held a safety meeting and implemented stricter feeding protocols to prevent similar incidents.

Chongqing Zoo is home to 23 giant pandas.

According to Chongqing Daily, the panda enclosure, which has undergone three rounds of expansion and renovation, now covers nearly 20,000 square meters and is one of the earliest panda breeding centers in China.

SINGAPORE: In a dramatic attempt to capture a wandering monitor lizard, chaos ensued as the reptile managed to elude capture not once, but twice.

The heart-pounding scene unfolded on Tuesday (26 Sep) and was skillfully documented and shared on TikTok by the user known as Sukor.

The incident unfolded within a block of HDB flats situated in the tranquil neighborhood of Taman Jurong.

In a concise 55-second video that has since garnered over 225 thousand views, Sukor’s laughter resonated through the corridors as he relentlessly pursued the elusive reptilian intruder during broad daylight.

https://www.tiktok.com/@svkorr/video/7282748804925852936

According to Sukor, the initial sighting by a neighbor occurred at 11.00 am, but when National Parks authorities arrived on the scene, the cunning lizard had mysteriously vanished into thin air.

However, at around 04.00 pm, it made a nonchalant appearance, strolling down the corridor to Sukor’s astonishment.

Undeterred, Sukor spontaneously initiated a game of “catch me if you can,” playfully mimicking a roar while chasing the nimble lizard.

With its four legs in full motion, the terrified monitor lizard effortlessly outpaced Sukor, executing a remarkable drift around a corner before making a dash for the staircase.

Upon reaching the staircase landing, the startled reptile attempted to chart an escape route, only to collide headfirst into a wall with an audible ‘bonk.’

NParks made significant efforts to catch the energetic creature

The video then cuts to a later moment in time, during which the participants appear to have called a temporary truce to catch their breath, leaving the lizard cornered on the landing.

Upstairs, Sukor continued his infectious fit of laughter, while an unseen neighbor on the floor below wielded a broom like a spear, joining in the mirth.

Ultimately, Sukor managed to chase the monitor lizard away.

Three long hours later, National Parks personnel, clad in their distinctive green uniforms, finally arrived at the HDB premises to apprehend the trespassing monitor lizard.

Employing a specialized tool, they attempted to coax it into a cage.

However, the slippery reptile proved more elusive than a bar of soap coated in grease, squeezing its body and flailing tail through the narrow gap between the cage and the wall, and making a daring descent down the stairs.

Sukor then spotted the two National Parks officers engaged in a spirited chase across a nearby road.

The agile reptile leaving its pursuers bewildered as it changed direction, darting past a recycling bin and disappearing into the void deck of another HDB building.

The lizard eventually sought refuge amidst a densely packed array of parked bicycles.

Finally, after a heroic effort, the dedicated National Parks officers managed to navigate the labyrinthine maze of bicycles and safely subdue the evasive fugitive.

NParks advises against pursuing monitor lizards

The comical TikTok video generated significant online attention, with numerous netizens finding it thoroughly entertaining. Some even expressed their anticipation for the lizard to stage a counter-chase.

There were playful comments pondering the lizard’s drifting abilities, yet in all seriousness, National Parks strongly advises against pursuing or cornering a monitor lizard, as they may react defensively.

Instead, they recommends maintaining a safe distance, promptly contacting the Animal Response Centre at 1800-476-1600, and patiently awaiting their professional intervention.