A keeper stated that an orangutan, who entertained visitors at her Malaysian zoo by smoking cigarette butts tossed into her enclosure, is now being compelled to quit cold turkey.
Last week, authorities confiscated the orangutan named Shirley, along with a tiger and various other animals, from a state-run zoo in Johor after discovering they were being kept in subpar conditions.
Believed to be over 20 years old, Shirley has been relocated to Malacca Zoo, where she is expected to abandon her smoking habit, according to the zoo’s director, Ahmad Azhar Mohammed.
“When we brought Shirley here, she behaves just like a typical orangutan… However, orangutans are incredibly intelligent creatures. They mimic human behavior,” he explained. He further mentioned that “irresponsible visitors” would toss lit cigarette butts into her cage at the Johor Zoo, which she then picked up and smoked.
Ahmad Azhar indicated that Shirley is anticipated to remain at Malacca Zoo for approximately a month before she is moved to a rehabilitation center in Sarawak state on Borneo island, where orangutans still thrive in the wild.
Malaysia has committed to enhancing the protection of animals from mistreatment and illegal trade, which critics argue remains rampant in the Southeast Asian nation.
Earlier this month, around 300 cats were rescued by police from a pet-boarding establishment after the operators had left them without sufficient food, water, and in filthy enclosures for several days.
by Sasha Dubronitz
