A video of Russian boxer Anastasia Luchkina offering a puff to an orangutan has gone viral, shocking netizens and criticising her for the act. The video, shared on social media platforms, is from Taigan Safari Park in Crimea, where she was giving an e-cigarette to a monkey.
According to the Russian news outlet, the wild animal showed ‘disturbing behaviour.’ The orangutan is named Dana and is the only one of its kind in the Crimea zoo. According to the zoo officials, the animal lost her appetite, refused to communicate with others, and “lies motionless throughout the day.”
Dana has lived in the safari park since 2018. The orangutan is suspected to have swallowed the e-cigarette cartridge, which contains 2.5-3 ml of nicotine liquid. Veterinarians were called, and they are treating the animal.
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The video sparked outrage among netizens. One of the X users said, “Animal abuse.” Another said, “This can be dangerous and they can have aggressive reactions to human stimulants like nicotine. This is probably more abuse than anything.”
Several users wrote that the boxer should face significant punishment. "She needs to be held accountable for this," one user wrote.
PETA UK vice president Mimi Bekhechi said, “Anastasia Luchkina must have received a few too many knocks to the head if she thinks it’s a lark to give an orangutan a vape…a violation of this intelligent, gentle ape’s welfare.”