A zoo has found itself in the spotlight after visitors took to mocking a chubby leopard lazily lying in its enclosure.

Smartphone footage captured at the Panzhihua Park in the city of Panzhihua in Sichuan, China, showed the wild feline sitting calmly inside its cage and visibly panting on March 5.

The videos of the chubby animal sparked a flurry of reactions from social media users who could not help but chuckle at the sight.

Other individuals, however, expressed genuine concerns about the leopard's well-being, fearing that the excess weight could pose health risks.

A Panzhihua Park zookeeper later claimed that the animal had loose skin as a result of its old age.

They said: 'He is old and fat, and his physical examination is normal. This kind of body is normal for older leopards, the fur is loose and makes it look fat.'