KUALA LUMPUR, July 13 – Step aside Oyen, a new feline is taking over the spotlight.
This is after a recent video of a chubby black panther at Zoo Negara has been amassing views on TikTok and has left local users amused and in awe.
The 15-second snippet shared by user OldMonkey showed the black panther resting while basking itself under the sun.
The user also tagged Zoo Negara in the post, cheekily asking for an explanation behind the seemingly overweight feline.
This has also led to social media users poking fun at its size while some users were even seen confusing it with a sun bear due to its size and colour.
“Is this a black panther or a british shorthair?” TikTok user Say commented.
“I don’t want to body shame him but can he still run fast?” commented TikTok user Lola.
“This one we definitely can’t let it go back to its habitat, I’m afraid he won’t survive,” commented TikTok user Maryam.
However Zoo Negara were quick to chime in on the matter, clarifying its name as Apoh in the comment section of the post.
Previously via their Facebook, Zoo Negara shared that ‘black panther’ is a generic name used for any black-coloured big cat and Apoh is actually a black leopard.
“Thank you so much to everyone who cares! Don’t worry, our vet team is currently taking care of Apoh with lots of love, the best treatment and careful attention.
“The team would closely monitor Apoh to make sure that he is okay.
“We appreciate all the words of encouragement for Apoh to get back to his ideal weight,” Zoo Negara wrote in the comment section.
The video has garnered over two million views since it was shared three days ago.
Apoh is also one of the animals that are available for Zoo Negara’s Adoption Package where you can contribute monetary donations to help maintain its annual food, enrichment and veterinary care.
The Zoo Negara’s Adoption Package is available via ticket2u.com.my where members of the public can choose to donate between RM25 and RM1,000 and in return, they will receive a certificate of adoption along with an acknowledgement in Zoo Negara’s annual report.
For more information on Zoo Negara’s Adoption Package, please visit
https://www.ticket2u.com.my/event/18171/zoo-negara-adoption-package
