Chinese panda mauls teenage boy

Gu Gu is gaining a reputation for biting unwanted visitors

A panda in Beijing Zoo has lashed out at a spectator, mauling a boy who climbed into its enclosure - the second such attack in just over a year.

Gu Gu, an eight-year-old male, was startled when Li Xitao scaled a 1.4-metre (4ft 7in) fence.

Li, 15, had clambered into the area during feeding time "out of curiosity", a zoo official said.

A startled Gu Gu lashed out at the teenager, biting chunks of flesh off his legs.

Zookeepers managed to lure the panda off its victim within a couple of minutes and Li, originally from the northern province of Hebei, was taken to Beijing Children's Hospital.

Drunken hug

It was not the first time the 110-kilogramme (242-pound) panda has had a run-in with an uninvited guest.

Gu Gu last hit the headlines in September 2006, when he was bitten on the back by a drunken man who had jumped into his enclosure for a "hug".

The animal bit the intruder on both legs.

While cuddly in appearance, pandas are wild animals that can turn violent, especially if they feel threatened, experts say.

Beijing Zoo has been reluctant to increase the size of the fence around the panda enclosure as it would impede the visitors' view of the bears.