The Shanghai Wildlife Park posted a notice outside the chimpanzee's glass enclosure, identified as two-year-old Ding Ding, barring the sightseers from the activity as too much screen time could damage the primate's eyesight and trigger stress.
"If a chimpanzee cannot see clearly and cannot communicate with humans, it may become anxious, leading to health problems", a zoo worker was quoted as saying by South China Morning Post.
The notice pasted on the enclosure features a sketch of Ding Ding with "Stop! Stop!" and "No" written in English, and "Don't show me mobile phones", written in Mandarin Chinese.
Ding Ding, whose gender has not been disclosed by the zoo, has become a fan favourite, owing to its human baby-like charm.
Ding Ding was reportedly seen staring at a phone screen after a woman held the phone to the enclosure's pane. The report highlighted that the baby chimp was particularly interested in funny videos and short dramas, with the sound and visuals stimulating the animal.
Though there are no penalties for rule-breakers, the zoo have urged everyone to follow the advice. One of the zookeepers stated that Ding Ding cannot wear glasses!
As the news of the ban went viral, a section of Chinese social media users expressed amusement at the unusual measure, while others supported it.
"Please respect the animals' natural way of life", said one user, while another added: "My son is just as addicted to phone videos as Ding Ding – maybe the zoo should take him too".
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