The Pyongyang Central Zoo in North Korea recently reopened its doors to flocks of curious visitors, however one of the zoo’s attractions has set off alarms overseas. Azalea is a 19-year-old cigarette-smoking chimpanzee who apparently lights up a pack a day.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nPLipOhxJKc
Azalea the chimpanzee reportedly lights her own cigarettes using a lighter, according to The Guardian. However, the zoo claims she does not inhale. Teaching animals to do tricks is not a new gimmick for the zoo, as there is also a monkey there trained to dunk basketballs. Exotic animals and a dog pavilion are pulling in huge crowds, despite the organization’s sordid past.
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Pyongyang Central Zoo has received criticism for having “woefully inadequate” facilities for the animals housed there, and some suggest ties to dog fighting for profit. Animal rights activists will be unimpressed with the zoo’s so-called upgrades, as a leap from animal cruelty to exploitative entertainment isn’t that far of a leap at all.
Via The Guardian
Images via The Guardian (screenshot)
