A farmer has been left flabbergasted after he adopted a stray 'puppy' off the streets - only to be told the animal was in fact a BEAR.
The man found the adorable yet emaciated animal several weeks ago, assuming it was a Kunming wolfdog, which are kept as domestic pets.
Noting its poor condition, he decided to adopt the starving little creature and raise it as his own at his home in a village in China.
After a few weeks, the farmer noticed that the animal was developing unusually dexterous front paws and had no tail.
He called wildlife officials, who immediately identified the animal as an Asian black bear, an endangered species.
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They said it was identifiable by a patch of white fur on its chest.
The cub, which was found in Dehong Dai and Jingpo Autonomous Prefecture, in south-west China’s Yunnan Province, likely became separated from its mother.
Officials believe it may have strayed from a nearby forest.
They said it would have probably been killed or bred in secret had people recognised its species before the farmer took it home and nursed it back to health.
It's now been taken to a local shelter for breeding.
Reports in China suggest the cub will be kept there until it learns how to survive on its own in natural conditions, after which it will be released back into the wild.
Asian black bears are threatened by poaching, with their paws especially sought-after as a delicacy.
The capture, killing, breeding, and trading of the animals is forbidden in China, with offenders facing up to 10 years in prison.