Chinese zoo bans visitors from showing reels & short videos to baby chimpanzee

A zoo in eastern China has gone viral after banning visitors from showing reels and short videos to a baby chimpanzee, citing risks to the animal’s eyesight and mental health.

The two-year-old chimpanzee, named Ding Ding, has become a social media sensation for its human-like behavior. Viral clips show the young primate sipping milk cross-legged, clinging shyly to keepers, and even carefully plucking petals from a lotus flower to snack on.

But one particular habit, watching videos through the glass of its enclosure, has prompted Shanghai Wildlife Park to step in.

Zoo bans showing short videos to young chimp Ding Ding

In September, the zoo posted a notice outside Ding Ding’s enclosure forbidding visitors from showing the chimp their phones. The sign, featuring a sketch of Ding Ding and a crossed-out phone, warns that too much screen time could cause vision problems and stress.

“If a chimpanzee cannot see clearly and cannot communicate with humans, it may become anxious, leading to health problems,” a zoo worker told the South China Morning Post.

One viral clip from Douyin, China’s version of TikTok, showed a woman pressing her phone against the glass as music played while Ding Ding watched intently, occasionally scratching its face. Other visitors claimed the animal seemed especially drawn to comedic clips and short dramas.

The unusual ban sparked both laughter and support across Chinese social media. “Please respect the animals’ natural way of life,” one user wrote, while another joked: “My son is just as addicted to phone videos as Ding Ding, maybe the zoo should take him too.”

Although the zoo hasn’t set penalties for rule-breakers, staff urged visitors to follow the advice, noting that unlike humans, Ding Ding “cannot wear glasses.”

This isn’t the first time a Chinese zoo has drawn attention for its visitor rules. Earlier this year, Liaoning Zoo warned guests after people were caught yanking tiger fur from a semi-open enclosure for “good luck.”

Meanwhile, Qinhu Bay Forest Animal Kingdom in Taizhou went viral after outrage over dogs being painted to look like tigers.