Viral Video Shows Chimpanzee Smoking at Chinese Zoo

A video of a chimpanzee smoking a cigarette at Nanning Zoo in Guangxi province, southern China, has gained millions of views online, raising issues surrounding animal welfare and visitor behavior. The footage shows a 15-year-old male chimp named Diunaxing inhaling from a discarded cigarette butt. Zoo staff confirmed that Diunaxing developed this habit years ago while living with an elderly owner in Germany, who introduced him to smoking and drinking. After his owner’s death, Diunaxing was relocated to China, where zookeepers have made progress in reducing his alcohol consumption but are struggling to curb his smoking behavior. This is compounded by visitors who ignore zoo rules prohibiting feeding or throwing objects into animal enclosures.

Zoo representatives noted that a lit cigarette butt likely came from a careless visitor. They have stated that they monitor animals closely and intervene as necessary, warning that such actions can harm the animals’ health and recovery efforts. Experts warn that exposure to nicotine can lead to various health issues in primates, including respiratory problems and addiction. Similar incidents have been reported in the past at other Chinese zoos, prompting criticisms and calls for stricter enforcement of rules regarding visitor behavior.

In response to the situation, Nanning Zoo plans to increase patrols and install more surveillance cameras while also aiming to educate the public about respecting animal spaces.