A Chinese man won $80,000 in compensation after getting attacked by a wild panda in the northwestern province of Gansu, China.

The panda, which was found wandering in a forest, ran into Guan Quanzhi's land where he got bitten.

Guan's family sued local forestry officials after sustaining major wounds on his legs that required long hours of surgery.

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"I saw a panda jump out in front of me, its body completely covered in mud," Guan told a local newspaper.

The incident happened in March last year, when a resident of Liziba village alerted local officials about a mud-covered panda wandering in the forest.  When forestry staff and villagers tried to capture the panda, the animal ran and bolted into Guan's land. 

Guan, who was in his 60's, froze upon seeing the approaching panda.  The animal then attacked him and bit him on his left leg.  The panda only released its grip when a villager jumped on it and covered its head with a coat.  Guan was seriously wounded, requiring him of undergoing seven hours of surgery.

Despite their cuddly appearance, pandas' strong jaws and large teeth give a powerful bite. 

Guan's son sued the local forestry officials as well as the Baishuijiang National Nature Reserve for mishandling the situation.  The animal reserve is home to about 100 wild pandas.  It is where the panda, that attacked Guan, was believed to have escaped. 

The filing of charges led to negotiations between the two parties.  Guan has agreed to be compensated with $83,000, saying it can cover his medical bills and further operations.

Pandas in China are a major tourist attraction and generate much of tourism revenue.  While they look huggable and cute, it sure is not a good idea to get close to them, as they are also known to attack humans. 

In 2008, a 20-year-old man was chomped by a panda when he climbed into its enclosure in a zoo in Southern China.

TagsPanda, panda attack, Shaanxi province