A panda that was recorded standing on its hind legs and loudly banging on a metal door had many zoogoers wondering if it was actually a human in costume.

The giant panda named Pupu was seen by stunned visitors at a zoo in Liaoning Province, north-eastern China, as it stood and repeatedly knocked on a door in its enclosure, demanding it be let inside.

Phone footage shows Pupu standing on its left leg so it could reach the upper part of the door made of sheet metal on January 14.

Then, it began banging on the metal with its right paw, apparently trying to get its keepers' attention so they would let it inside to feast on some delicious bamboo.

Because of the panda's behaviour, several onlookers were convinced it was a zookeeper wearing in a bear costume.

One said: 'You see, I told you it's a staff member dressed as a panda.'

Another added: 'It's a person. Definitely a person dressed up as a panda bear.'

Last year, the Hangzhou Zoo in Zhejiang province quelled similar rumours after some locals suggested one of its Malaysian sun bears named Angela was a human in a bear suit.

Angela had been seen standing on her hind legs and craning her head while interacting with tourists.