A zookeeper was suspended for poking a giant panda named Nuan Nuan with a stick to end her after-hours snacking session in eastern China.

Video filmed at Nanjing Purple Mountain Wildlife World in Jiangsu Province on April 16, shows a keeper using a long stick to attempt to stop Nuan Nuan from eating bamboo.

A female visitor can be heard laughing loudly throughout the whole ordeal and even adding her own commentary, saying, "Why did you stop hitting him?"

The keeper reportedly used this way to urge Nuan Nuan to stop eating and go home as the zoo has already closed. However, the incident sparked heated debate.

In response to the incident, the Nanjing Purple Mountain Wildlife World has issued a statement announcing that the zookeeper in question has been suspended from duty and will never be allowed to work with giant pandas again.

Netizens have different opinions on the incident, some netizens did not agree with the punishment. One netizen commented on Weibo, a Twitter-like social media in China, saying: "Isn't it a bit too much? I feel like it was just for fun, they were just lightly tapping the panda." While another netizen said: "It is a bit nitpicky."

The corresponding supervisory personnel were also punished with a warning. From today onwards, Nuan Nuan's care will be fully taken over by the head of the Giant Panda House.

The video was provided by local media with permission.

近日，江苏南京紫清湖野生动物世界，大熊猫暖暖在动物园下班后还在一直吃笋，遭到饲养员用竹竿催促回家，旁边游客全程大笑取乐的事件引发热议。
视频中，大熊猫暖暖全程背对着场外，专心致志地啃着手里的竹笋，而饲养员则站在场外，用一根数米长的竹竿不停拍打着暖暖。挨了第一下“打”的暖暖明显有些惊讶，但是暖暖很快恢复了淡定，继续啃着手里的竹子，无论饲养员怎么样轻打、轻戳，甚至戳弄耳朵，暖暖都不为所动。而在饲养员全程催促的过程中，有一名女游客全程在一旁高声取笑，甚至为暖暖“配音”：“哎？怎么不打了？”。
4月17日，紫清湖野生动物世界官方发布公告称，涉事饲养员立即停止工作，且永不允许其在该园饲养大熊猫，与此同时，对相应的主管人员连带处罚，做警告处分。而暖暖即日起由大熊猫馆主管全面接手饲养工作。