Page 8 - IAV Digital Magazine #576

iAV - Antelope Valley Digital Magazine
California Carpool Lane Driver's Passenger Was A Disguised Mannequin
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bO-4jHhLD5Y
Chinese Zoo Denies Its Sun Bear Is A Human In A Costume
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bLFm0sxTN2E
By Ben Hooper
July 31 (UPI) -- Officials at a Chinese zoo denied that a sun bear seen in a viral video filmed at the facility is a human wearing a cos- tume.
The Hangzhou Zoo in Zhejiang province respond- ed on WeChat after mem- bers of the public ques- tioned whether a video filmed at the zoo depicted an actual sun bear or a human in a costume.
The video shows the ani- mal standing on two legs and striking a human-like posture. Commenters also pointed out pleats on the animal's backside resem- bled bunched clothing, but
zoo officials said that is a normal part of sun bear anatomy.
Jiang Zhi, deputy director of the Hangzhou Zoo, said some of the confusion likely comes from the bear being misidentified as a black bear in social media posts. He said sun bears are much smaller with shorter fur and a different body shape.
A zoo spokesman also said in a second WeChat post that the temperature at the zoo lately has been reach- ing 104 degrees -- much too hot for a human to sur- vive for more than a few minutes in a heavy bear suit.
By Ben Hooper
Aug. 7 (UPI) -- A California driver was pulled over on a Bay Area highway after being spotted using a carpool lane while their only passenger was a mannequin dressed in a hat and sunglasses.
CHP Marin post- ed a photo to its Facebook
story showing the mannequin in the backseat of a car while dressed in a straw hat, sun-
glasses, facial hair, overalls and a shirt that gave the illusion of sleeve and torso tattoos.
"That moment you get pulled over for a carpool violation and your passenger in the back chooses to remain silent," the post said.
CHP spokesman Officer Darrel Horner said Officer Susan Withers of the Marin Division was on Highway
101, near Ignacio Boulevard, when she spotted the unusual passen- ger.
"Something didn't look right," Horner told the Los Angeles Times. "She made the stop, and lo and behold, the pas- senger in back wasn't moving or saying anything."
The carpool viola- tion carries a $490 fine, CHP said.
iAV - Antelope Valley Digital Magazine