BEIJING • People in China are apeing the dopey expression of Zootopia character Flash the Sloth on social media after the Disney animated film became a hit there.

It has taken in more than 824 million yuan (S$173 million) in box-office sales since its March 4 debut. Taiwan actress Clover Kao (above), daughter of producer Angie Chai, was noted in the media for her remarkable mimicking.

The department of motor vehicles in Zootopia is staffed by sloths, the world's slowest mammal, a sly jab at inefficient government workers.

Fans are now keen to know more about sloths.

China News published a series of sloth photos taken by its photojournalists in America and stories on the animal on its social media accounts, receiving tens of thousands of "likes" from netizens, reported Xinhua.