Overview

• The Lehe Ledu Liangjiang Holiday Hotel had been bringing four red pandas into guest rooms for morning wake-up calls, letting them roam beds and interact with visitors.
• Influencer and social media videos documenting the service drew both tourist interest and criticism over the ethics and safety of the practice.
• The Chongqing Forestry Bureau ordered an immediate stop to all close-contact activities involving the nationally protected red pandas under Chinese wildlife protection laws.
• Hotel representatives said the animals were borrowed from a nearby zoo, vaccinated and supervised by dedicated handlers before each room visit.
• Conservation groups note there are fewer than 10,000 red pandas worldwide and warn that forced guest interactions can trigger stress and threaten the species’ welfare.