A panda in China which would not let go of a mobile phone a tourist accidentally dropped into his enclosure has been dubbed a ‘smartphone addict’ by online observers.

On February 22, a visitor accidentally dropped their mobile phone while filming the giant panda, Qingling, at the Dujiangyan Panda Base in southwestern China’s Sichuan province.

The three-year-old panda grabbed the phone as if it were his new toy.

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He played around with it and even held it in a way that looked like he was taking a selfie.

The stubborn panda holds onto the mobile phone after zoo staff threw a carrot into its enclosure in a bid to distract it. Photo: WEVIDEO
The stubborn panda holds onto the mobile phone after zoo staff threw a carrot into its enclosure in a bid to distract it. Photo: WEVIDEO

Using carrots as bait, zoo staff tried to snatch the phone from Qingling’s hand with an extension grabber but failed.

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