Park in Hubei offers chance to "scoop poop" in Polar Bears experience

A visitor cleans up poop in the polar bears' enclosure at the Haichang Polar Ocean World Park in Wuhan, capital of central China's Hubei province, April 6, 2017. [Photo: IC]

Wuhan's Haichang Polar Ocean World Park is offering a unique opportunity for those interested in polar bears.

For 998 yuan (144 US dollars), tourists can apply to take part in a 3-hour polar bear experience, which includes photo opportunities, feeding the bears and - in some cases - cleaning up the animal's droppings.

Applicants have to undergo training courses on polar bear behavior before they can gain close access to the animals.

Two polar bears play together at the Wuhan Haichang Polar Ocean World Park in Wuhan, capital of central China's Hubei province, April 6, 2017. [Photo: IC]

While those who have taken part have joked that its "pay for smelling poop," most also say they consider the experience interesting and meaningful.

"I've never imagined such close contact with these rarely-met polar bears. My selfie with them just got over 60 likes on Wechat, and I've learnt a lot about polar bear care. It's good", said Li, a young volunteer who recently took part in the experience.