- Zoo in Henan seeks people to dress as black bears for visitor interaction role
- Job requires wearing bear costumes, no talking allowed except emergencies
- Shifts last six hours with four days off monthly; applicants must be 18+ and fit
A zoo in central China has gone viral for a job listing that sounds straight out of a comedy sketch. It is planning to hire people to dress as black bears, wander the grounds, and interact with visitors for an annual salary of 100,000 yuan (about US$15,000), the South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported. The job hiring, posted by Luohe Wildlife Zoo in Luohe city of Henan province, has gone viral on the local social media platform. The role requires performers to wear "soft" black bear costumes, roam the park, and engage with guests. But there's a catch. The posting mentions that talking is banned. The "bears" can only make purring sounds, unless there's an emergency or they need help.
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According to the report, the job entails six-hour shifts, with four days off per month; applicants must be 18 or older, physically fit, and have no gender restrictions.
The job posting ad encourages performers to be quirky and expressive, like jumping, dancing, climbing trees, or even lying down and daydreaming if tired. "The more bizarre, the more popular you'll be," it says as quoted.
There's also a food rule, as it states that the candidates should be easy-going about snacks, as visitors are allowed to offer refreshments.
Zoo staff call it "the freest position in our zone".
"It's the freest position in our zone. If you're tired, you can just lie down and daydream. If you're feeling energetic, you can jump, dance, climb trees, or even catch fish. Do whatever feels comfortable," the ad stated, as mentioned by the media outlet.
"You can act in the most nonsensical ways. The more bizarre, the more popular you'll be."
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Social media users quickly reacted to the listing, joking about Henan's hot summers and the challenge of staying silent all day. Others raised concerns about children getting the wrong idea about real wild animals.
The zoo, which opened in early May with local government backing, says the campaign is aimed at boosting visitor engagement. More than 100 people applied within days, and all spots were reportedly filled, though the zoo didn't say how many were hired.
Speaking about the job, a spokesperson for the zoo told New Weekly that if a candidate becomes famous on social media, they could earn more than the base salary.
"This could represent a unique job opportunity for young people and help our zoo explore new avenues for revenue," said the unnamed spokesperson as quoted.
