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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
World
Benjamin Lynch

Chimpanzee escapes zoo and is convinced to return on bike with a jacket after it rains

An escaped chimpanzee roamed the streets of a city in Ukraine before finally being coaxed back home on a bicycle.

The mischievous ape 'Chichi' roamed around Kharkiv and handlers found it difficult to get the chimp back home until it began to rain.

Footage shows Chichi happily ambling about the city caught up in Vladimir Putin's war, before handlers catch up with her and try and encourage her to go back home.

As the heavens opened, Chichi ran over to her handlers for them to put a bright yellow jacket on and shelter from the weather.

Oleksiy Hryhoriev, the director of the zoo Chichi escaped from, confirmed Chichi was now back home safe and sound.

Chichi was eventually returned home via bicycle (Twitter)

Journalist Hanna Liubakova shared the footage on Twitter and it has since been viewed over 350,000 times.

She reported: " Ukraine in Kharkiv, a chimpanzee escaped from a zoo. It was walking around the city while zoo employees tried to convince it to return.

"Suddenly it started to rain, and the ape ran to a zoo employee for a jacket and then agreed to return to the zoo."

Attempts to coax Chichi home were unsuccessful until it began to rain (Twitter)

Chichi's zoo has suffered tragedy recently as Kharkiv dealt with the effects of falling Russian bombs in the war with Putin's invading forces.

Zoo owner and Kharkiv businessman Oleksandr Feldman said more than 100 animals died at Feldman’s Ecopark alive before they could be evacuated to a new location.

In April, zookeepers were faced with the decision to put down all large animals after enclosures were damaged by shelling; Kharkiv is just 40 miles from the Russian border.

Handlers caught up with Chichi as the chimp made it to central Kharkiv (Twitter)

Confirming lions, tigers and bears were all among the animals that had to be put down, Feldman said: "I am often asked what happened to the park.

"Today we are going to tell Kharkiv residents that the park is no longer there. After yesterday's fired missiles enclosures [were] destroyed, all infrastructure destroyed.

"But miraculously, tigers and lions remained alive, their cages were very badly damaged—they can get out at any moment. [And the enclosures are] in a serious condition where the bears are."

Chichi roamed Kharkiv before returning home (Twitter)

He added: "Today the decision is made: We have time until the evening, or [we must] kill all [of the animals], euthanize [them], or accept [an offer of] their transportation.

"[But there is] no chance, no ideas, and no redirecting them now.

"[If] any idea is found, maybe [we can save] some little jaguars, or panthers. But all adult animals are likely to be destroyed."

The war has caused 'terrible stress' for animals like Chichi, the zoo says (Twitter)

Currently closed, the war has caused "terrible stress" for the animals inside but care for them continues.

On Facebook, the zoo said: "The zoo is closed to visitors, but the care of the animals does not stop.

"The war is causing terrible stress for the animals, so some of them have been moved to indoor enclosures and underground galleries. Veterinarians monitor their emotional state and, if necessary, provide a sedative."

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