Screenshot of the video online.

A video of a giant panda named "Zhi Lu" being repeatedly hit with a shovel in Xi'an, Northwest China's Shaanxi Province circulated on social media platforms, on Monday. The Qinling Giant Panda Research Center involved issued an apology on Monday, stating that the involved keeper has been dismissed, and relevant management personnel have been criticized and ordered to conduct a thorough inspection.

In the video, the shovel can be seen hitting "Zhi Lu" multiple times, causing "Zhi Lu" to dodge. The video quickly became a hot search topic, sparking discussions among netizens about the living environment of giant pandas in the venue. Many netizens expressed the need for the center to provide an explanation and dismiss the involved keeper.

The research center issued a statement soon on Monday, which said that on Sunday at around 4 pm, the center's keeper, surnamed Li, seriously violated the "Giant Panda Feeding Safety Management Regulations" by using a shovel to drive away the giant panda, causing a negative impact. 

"We deeply apologize for this. After examining the giant panda, although no external injuries were found (we will continue to monitor its health), it reflects serious issues in our unit's management of giant panda feeding, including lax enforcement of regulations and inadequate supervision. We will learn from this lesson and seriously rectify the situation," the statement said.

The park will be closed for rectification from Wednesday to Friday, and staff members will receive warning education and system training to ensure the implementation of all regulations, it noted. 

The center has already dismissed the involved keeper, criticized and educated relevant management personnel, and ordered them to conduct a thorough inspection.

Global Times