A zoo in Cairo, Egypt, has been accused of trying to fool visitors by painting zebra stripes onto a donkey — but the zoo director insists the animal is a real zebra.

Mahmoud Sarhan, 18, whose hometown is Cairo, was visiting the new animal sanctuary at the International Garden municipal park when said he suddenly spotted a strange-looking animal, Fox8 and other outlets reported.

While zebras and donkeys are both in the horse family, several things about the animal made Sarhan suspicious: Black paint had melted on the animal’s face, for one thing, and the ears weren’t the right size for a zebra’s, he said.

He posted a picture of the poor animal on his Facebook page — and it quickly went viral.

In the photo, Sarhan is standing next to the “zebra,” looking skeptical.

He wrote in Arabic: “The stupidity has reached [such heights] in the country that they brought a local donkey and painted it to look like a zebra.”

#FoxNews مين شبابه هيضيع و هيروح في داهية ناو???

Posted by Mahmoud A. Sarhan on Thursday, July 26, 2018

The director of Gardens Project in Cairo has denied reports that it tried to pass off the donkey as a zebra.

“The zebra is real and not painted,” Mohammed Sultan told Egypt’s Youm 7 news channel, also saying the animals are well taken care of and are inspected regularly to ensure their health.

Who do you think would win the Presidency?

By completing the poll, you agree to receive emails from LifeZette, occasional offers from our partners and that you've read and agree to our privacy policy and legal statement.

“No reputable animal care facility would subject a skittish animal like a donkey to the stress of being restrained and sprayed with chemicals like paint, which could cause a painful allergic reaction,” PETA Foundation Vice President Delcianna Winders told CNN in a statement, after that organization reviewed photos of the animal.

“PETA hopes that Cairo authorities are fully investigating this matter.”

Related: Most Unusual Pet Provisions Ever

This isn’t the first fakery a zoo has engaged in: Back in 2013, a zoo in China angered guests by trying to pass off a hairy dog as a lion.

The tip-off? The “lion” barked.

الحمير الوحشيه في حديقة الحيوان بالجيزه مزوره مرسومه بالأبيض والأسود

Posted by ‎رضا عبدالنعيم امين‎ on Tuesday, July 24, 2018