Photographs of a giant panda foraging through rubbish and apparently eating it at a zoo in China has sparked outrage.

图片上中国动物园大熊猫正在吃游客乱扔的垃圾，这引起了人们的愤怒。

The images, captured by a visitor to Taiyuan Zoo in Shanxi province, showed the bear rooting through assorted junk in its enclosure, including a water bottle, food debris and a balloon.

在来自山西省太原动物园内的一名游客的照片上可以看到，一只熊猫在熊猫馆的外场活动区翻找各种各样的垃圾，其中包括矿泉水瓶，食物残渣和气球。

The photographs were taken by user 'ai gun gun o' and posted to Weibo on October 5.

这张照片是由一个叫“爱滚滚呦”的用户10月5日在微博上发布的。

In a caption that accompanied the images, she wrote: 'Taiyuan Zoo doesn't deserve to have giant panda! I don't know whether it's Gong Wan or Shun Shun that's eating the rubbish left behind by tourists!

在图片相关的标题下 ，她写道: “太原动物园不配拥有大熊猫！不知道是贡丸还是舜舜在吃游客扔的垃圾！”

Since the story emerged on Weibo, thousands of people have commented on the incident, outraged by both the tourists and staff at the zoo.

这张照片在中国社交媒体上一经发布，数千人对此事件发表了评论,他们对游客和动物园的工作人员表示很愤怒。

Some even said the zoo should not be able to house giant pandas.

一些网友甚至说动物园不应该成为大熊猫的家。

'Chen Lang 1968' commented: 'Taiyuan Zoo needs to be stripped of their rights to have giant pandas.'

名叫‘尘浪1968’评论道：“应该剥夺太原动物园拥有熊猫的权利.”

Taiyuan Zoo was quick to respond to the incident.

太原动物园马上对此事做出了回应。

In an official statement distributed via Weibo, the attraction confirmed the incident.The statement said that it took place during the national holiday period and that the park had been very busy.

在其官方微博发布的声明中承认确实存在这种情况。声明中称此次事件发生在国庆期间，园方因太忙而没有制止。

A number of visitors were said to have ignored warnings and decided to feed the pandas, which resulted in the rubbish seen in the enclosure.

一些游客无视警告牌喂食大熊猫导致外部活动场地到处散落着垃圾。

The zoo was keen to stress that as the photographs were taken, one of the pandas, Gong Gong, had already been moved to an indoor enclosure.

动物园强调照片中的是其中一只叫“贡贡”的大熊猫，他现在已经被转移到园内活动场地。

The zoo apologised for the incident and said that staff had since tidied and sanitised the enclosures.

动物园已就此事道歉，并称工作人员已对园区进行了整理和消毒。

The pandas underwent a health check and were given the all clear.

大熊猫也做了健康检查，状况良好。