Close Enough of the Day: Zoo in China Under Fire After Trying to Pass Off Common Species as Exotic Creatures

The zoo at the People's Park of Luohe in China's Henan province has become a laughing stock after the officials tried to pass off common species in costumes as exotic animals. Among the furry impostors were a white fox in a leopard cage, two coypu rodents in a snake cage and perhaps the most memorable of all, a giant Tibetan mastiff dog dressed as as an African lion with fluffy brown fur wrapped around its face. As if the fur coat wasn't a dead giveaway, the creature's true identity became crystal clear when the dog reportedly started barking in front of the visitors. According to the Beijing Youth Daily, the zoo's director Liu Suya explained they decided to use the vacant cage to house an employee's pet dog when their lion-in-residence had to be sent away to a breeding facility.