Here’s why zoo officials finally banned showing videos to *that* viral chimpanzee

Zoo visitors in Shanghai have been banned from showing videos to a two-year-old chimpanzee, Ding Ding, who went viral earlier this year.

The little chimpanzee became very popular earlier this year when videos of him watching short clips on visitors’ phones went viral. One clip showing this trend was uploaded to Douyin, China’s version of TikTok. In it, a woman held her phone against the glass with music playing, and Ding Ding watched closely. People loved seeing Ding Ding completely absorbed in the videos, often mimicking what he saw or reacting in funny ways.

But now, zoo officials have banned showing videos to him, and for a very good reason.

So, why did they ban showing videos?

@lovelynanaabu

Dingding is the most cute and polite chimpanzee #CapCut #fyp #中国 #马来西亚 #黑猩猩 #猩猩 #chimpanzee #saveanimals #chimpanzees #savechimpanzee #savechimpanzees

♬ 我们的小说 – 小棉花

According to the South China Morning Post, showing videos to Ding Ding could actually harm his eyesight. Basically, too much screen time might lead to permanent eye damage, which could make life pretty stressful for the chimp. “If a chimp can’t see properly, it can’t interact with humans. And that could make him anxious,” a zoo worker told reporters. “We really don’t want that to happen.”

To get the message across, the zoo has put up a notice outside Ding Ding’s enclosure. It shows a cartoon of the chimp watching a phone with his hands held out and the word “NO” written in big red letters. There are currently no penalties in place but visitors are being urged to respect the rule and not tempt Ding Ding with videos.

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The warning went viral, and people had mixed reactions to it. Some people are disappointed they won’t get their cute video moments, while others have joked online. One person wrote, “My son is just as addicted to phone videos as Ding Ding. Maybe the zoo should ban him too!”

Sadly, unlike humans, Ding Ding can’t wear glasses, so he’s totally dependent on visitors following the new rule. Zoo staff hope this will protect him and make sure he stays happy and healthy while still being the superstar everyone loves.

For more like this, like The Tab on Facebook. Featured image via Douyin.