Chimpanzee throws dropped sandal back to zoo visitor in bananas video
The “Rise of the Planet of the Apes” might not be far off.
A chimpanzee at a China zoo proved that we’re indeed quite alike after tossing a lost shoe back to its human owner from the ape’s enclosure, as seen in a bananas video.
A guest had dropped the sandal in the primate’s paddock at the Shendiao Mountain Wildlife Park in Weihai City, Shandong Province, Newsflare reported.
Upon noticing the misplaced footwear, a 14-year-old chimp named Dong Dong began to play with it, as seen in the accompanying clip.
Distressed, the shoe’s owner implored one of the park’s staff for help.
That’s when the unthinkable happened.
In the clip, Dong Dong could be seen clutching the white footwear, which resembled a Croc, in his mouth like a chew toy as guests chuckled and marveled at the silly spectacle.
All of a sudden, the gruff voice of the keeper could be heard commanding the primate to return the shoe “quickly.”
Quick as a flash, the simian samaritan tossed the sandal up with his hand, prompting onlookers to cry out in astonishment.
According to the keeper, Dong Dong is super intelligent and has returned lost items to visitors in the past.
This isn’t the first time a chimp — our closest living relative alongside the promiscuous bonobo — has tossed something back at a zoo-goer.
In a less amicable incident last year, a man threw a water bottle at a chimp at a Chinese zoo, only to have the animal hurl the item back into the crowd, nailing a girl in the face.