Chimpanzee smoking daily pack of cigarettes causes outrage

Visitors cheer as Azalea the chimpanzee lights up a cigarette and begin puffing smoke.

However, the zoo insists that the dexterous chimp doesn't inhale any of the smoke.

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Officials say 19-year-old Azalea smokes about a pack a day and lights her own cigarette after catching the lighter which is thrown to her by a trainer.

Though some are outraged it seems like the locals at the newly opened Central Zoo in North Korea were delighted to see her puff away.

The zoo also has other animals performing including a monkey that slam dunks basketballs, dogs that appear to do maths using an abacus, and doves that can land on a woman while she skates on stage.

PETA have condemned the zoo, telling TIME: "How cruel to willfully addict a chimpanzee to tobacco for human amusement."

Adding: "Gradually zoos are learning that spectacles like chimpanzee tea parties, elephant rides and photo ops with tiger cubs are inappropriate and exploitative, with the big question now being, why are we keeping wild animals behind bars at all?"