BEIJING, China -- A college student was attacked by a panda in a south China park after climbing a fence and trying to hug the endangered animal in its enclosure, state media reported Saturday.

The student, identified only by his surname Liu, was in hospital recovering from multiple bites to his arms and legs after being attacked by the panda named Yang Yang on Friday in the park in the Guangxi region, Xinhua news agency said.

Liu climbed a two-meter-high (yard) fence into Yang Yang's enclosure in an effort to hug the animal, which is widely recognized as a symbol of China, it said.

"Yang Yang was so cute and I just wanted to cuddle him," the report quoted the 20-year-old as saying.

"I didn't expect he would attack...I don't remember how many bites I got."

Pandas have a wild streak and are capable of attacking humans, especially if they feel threatened, experts say.

Such attacks are frequent in China, where zoo-goers often climb fences to get a closer look at the animals.

Gu Gu, one of the star attractions at the Beijing Zoo, has attacked two people in the past two years after they illegally entered an enclosure.