In a video captured by a visitor identified only as "Yixilan," two male employees of the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding are shown forcibly dragging and tossing back cubs Rou Rou and Man Man after they wandered toward the door of the enclosure.
According to a spokesman for the Sichuan facility, the keepers were simply trying to keep the pandas from getting out.
The southwest China breeding center also stated the keepers did not have ill intentions; however, their handling of the cubs was "too forceful," reported the Daily Mail.
While no reports have indicated either panda was injured, the same cannot be said for the attendants.
"They scratched our arms and bit us and this was not captured [on the footage]," one of the keepers complained, according to the South China Morning Post.
After noting the frenzy surrounding the footage, the keepers seen in the video apologized to the public through the Chengdu Business Daily, vowing to be more gentle with the animals in the future.
An investigation is currently being carried out by zoo officials.
So just remember, the next time you think about messing with these furballs, you’re going to get the paws, if not the teefers.
