Fascinating viral video on escaped chimpanzee in Ukraine

[ZooElephantMan]

Chimp escapes from Kharkiv zoo before being given raincoat and taken back on bike – video

There was a glimpse of humour for the residents of Kharkiv in Ukraine, as an escaped chimpanzee from a local zoo wandered around the city's streets. Chichi, who broke out of the zoo on Monday, was followed around by the zoo's employees who attempted to persuade her to return. After a spot of rain, Chichi collected a jacket from a member of the zoo's staff and was eventually put on a bike back to the facility. The zoo's director, Oleksiy Hryhoriev, told Ukraine’s public broadcaster Suspilne that the animal was returned safely.

Kharkiv is one of Ukraine's frontline cities facing Russian shelling. Feldman's ecological park, Chichi's former home, was hit by a rocket attack earlier in the conflict, killing at least six volunteers and and hundred animals according to the zoo's owner.

Rockets also hit a residential building near the city centre on Tuesday, killing at least one person.

 

[GorillaRadioShow]

Not to be boring and ruin the fun but this strikes me as strange - I'm pretty sure Chimps and big cats were on Kharkiv's kill-upon-escape list during the initial bombing. It also seems strange that the chimp knew how to put on a coat and ride a bike. Not saying it's a publicity stunt, but I question why the chimp knew how to do that stuff in the first place. Former circus chimp, maybe?

 

[Jana]

It indeed looks like an ex-circus animal. Charkov zoo has received animals from several other evacuated/destroyed zoos and private collections during recent months so it could be an "extern" animal.

Unfortunately, Charkov city is too near to Russian border and gets artirelly shells and rocket hits daily. The zoo itself got at least 5 direct hits during last 2 months.