Bear-like baby animal discovered to be raccoon dog

A bear-like baby animal, which was rescued by police officers in Shanghai's Qingpu District in China has turned out to be a raccoon dog. Workers from the city wildlife protection station went to visit and check the animal, concluding it is a raccoon dog.

A young officer at the Xujing Police Station responded to a resident's call on Friday evening that a "bear" was wandering about a townhouse complex and appeared lost. Soon the officer returned with a furry animal, so small it could be held in one hand.

The little creature has short dark fur and looks like a bear cub. It has a good temperament and looks healthy. Police posted its pictures on Weibo microblog in a hope to find out what the animal really is. The officer who adopted the cub said he had to restrict the time of visits by his colleagues who all love the baby animal.

"This morning I fed it water mixed with honey and it seemed to like it very much. The little fellow is very mild, never barking or biting anyone. It is in good spirit and runs really fast," the officer said. Wildlife protection workers have examined the animal and found it had no injuries. The workers have decided to keep it under observation for one day then release it to a suitable environment outdoors.