An animal dubbed the 'world’s loneliest gorilla' is poised to spend another festive season in a 'sad supermarket cage.
The beast has been held at the controversial Pata Zoo in Thailand for over 30 years.
And despite an international campaign to rescue Bua Noi, the only gorilla in the country, there seems to be no movement from authorities.
The Daily Star reports the owner will only allow Bua Noi to be freed if he is paid up to £700,000.
It means she will spend the festive season asking visitors to the zoo for food scraps rather than enjoying life in her homeland.
Jason Baker, PETA Asia’s senior vice president, said: “Bua Noi the gorilla is suffering from extreme psychological distress in the concrete enclosure to which she has been confined alone for nearly 40 years, longer than most Thai people have been alive.
“This shabby facility is internationally condemned as one of the worst zoos in the world.
"All the animals held captive there are confined to pitifully small, barren enclosures and denied sunshine, fresh air, and opportunities to exercise or engage in behaviour that’s meaningful to them.”
The zoo is on the sixth and seventh floor of the Pata Pinklao Department Store in Bangkok.
Varawut Silpa-archa, Environment Minister recently said Bua Noi should be moved to a sanctuary.
But his his secretary told media: "We collected donations from Bua Noi's supporters. But the problem is that the owner refuses to sell Bua Noi.
“When he does agree to sell her, the price is too high. Bua Noi is considered private property so we cannot do anything to remove her.
“The owner bought Bua Noi before laws were introduced to prevent the trade and ownership of endangered animals and wild animals.”
Actress Gillian Anderson wrote to the zoo’s owner, Kanit Sermsirimongkol in 2020 asking for her to be released.
She then said: “In these trying days, we are all experiencing the challenges of seclusion.
“I can’t help but think about the animals in the Pata Zoo, who have experienced the same loneliness and isolation for years or decades.
“In light of the recent fire that broke out at the zoo, I am writing to ask you to honestly reflect on what life is like for animals there and to come to the decision to close it.”
Cher has also previously tweeted: “This man is making [money] off suffering of these poor trapped animals.
“I need to join with animal rights activists and kind people of Bangkok.”
Tigers, bears and pythons, are among the 200 species at the zoo, but International Animal Rescue published a report which claimed some animals were left to die.
She was moved to the shopping centre from Germany aged one and has been imprisoned ever since.
Pata Zoo's treatment of the gorilla has been defended and its director claimed criticism about her welfare “doesn’t concern" him.
