A zoo in China has gone viral for a job opening that sounds like something straight out of the internet.
According to media reports, the role is to wear a black bear costume, walk around the zoo, interact with visitors, and most importantly, do not speak like a human.
Must dress as black bear and interact with visitors
A zoo in Henan, China, recently posted a recruitment notice looking for a “black bear performer”.
According to the job ad, the person hired would have to wear a black bear costume and move around the zoo to entertain visitors.
The job scope includes “running around” in the scenic area and boldly interacting with guests.
The ad also said that the more “abstract” the personality, the better.
In other words, someone who is not shy, can act silly, and is comfortable being watched by crowds would have an advantage.
No talking allowed during work
One of the rules that caught the most attention was that the performer is not allowed to speak while on duty.
The job ad reportedly stated that the person must strictly avoid “speaking human language”.
Instead, daily interaction with visitors should be done through body movements and bear like sounds.
The notice also joked that being able to “let go”, act weird, and not be awkward would be a plus.
Naturally, netizens had a lot to say.
Some joked that this was their dream job, while others asked how to apply.
Salary is reportedly RMB100,000 a year
The role also caught attention because of its pay.
The zoo reportedly offered a yearly salary of RMB100,000, which is about RM60,000.
A zoo representative later confirmed that the salary was real and said the amount was set higher because outdoor work during summer can be tiring.
The person also said that the working hours would not exceed eight hours a day.
Zoo says it is part of visitor experience
According to the zoo, the idea was not created suddenly just to go viral.
A person in charge said the black bear performer was part of the zoo’s plan to make the visitor experience more interactive.
The zoo explained that having a person dressed as a black bear allows visitors to interact more freely, while also avoiding safety risks that may come from getting too close to real bears.
The zoo also said black bears were chosen because they are seen as cute, lively, and popular among children.
For now, the job appears to have attracted strong interest, with reports saying around 100 people had applied.
Honestly, for RM60k a year, no office politics, and the only KPI is to go “ao ao”, we kind of understand why.
