Viral Video of Orangutan Smoking in Vietnam Zoo Sparks Twitter Outrage. Watch

A spokesperson from the zoo clarified that the cigarette was thrown in the enclosure by a guest and not the staff.

Viral Video Today: A disturbing video of an endangered monkey smoking in a zoo has surfaced on social media that has left netizens outraged. The clip is from Saigon Zoo and Botanical Garden in Ho Chi Minh City of Vietnam. The clip shows a male orangutan sitting in his enclosure and casually puffing a cigarette. The ape uses the same technique as humans by holding the cigarette in his fingers and taking drags from it.

According to the zoo authorities, the orangutan came to Vietnam from Borneo. A spokesperson from the zoo clarified that the cigarette was thrown in the enclosure by a guest and not the staff. “People often throw things into the animals’ cages and the orangutan learns how to use these objects by seeing how people use them,” the spokesperson.

Despite the clarification from the zoo, the viral video has angered animal activists around the world. Netizens were heartbroken and furious after watching the video and expressed their opinion on Twitter. “Poor thing locked up and copying human traits. I don’t find it funny, just sad at what we do to these obviously intelligent animals,” a user tweeted. Another user wrote, “End zoos!” “There is no good reason for a zoo. None,” a third user wrote.

Watch the viral video below:

https://youtu.be/4y-twwKlvJw

How sad is this?!