Azalea, a chimpanzee at the Pyongyang Central Zoo in North Korea, gained international notoriety for her habit of smoking roughly a pack of cigarettes every day.
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Azalea the Smoking Chimpanzee: The Disturbing Story Behind North Korea’s Notorious Zoo Attraction
Meta Description:
Discover the unsettling tale of Azalea, a chimpanzee at Pyongyang Central Zoo who gained global attention for smoking a pack of cigarettes daily. Explore the ethics, backlash, and unanswered questions.
Introduction
In 2016, the world was stunned by footage of a chimpanzee named Azalea casually smoking cigarettes at North Korea’s Pyongyang Central Zoo. The viral video, which showed her lighting and inhaling like a human, sparked outrage, ethical debates, and scrutiny over animal welfare in one of the world’s most secretive nations. This is the story of Azalea—a primate whose unnatural habit became a symbol of exploitation.
Who Is Azalea? Life at Pyongyang Central Zoo
Azalea (locally known as Dallae) was born in captivity at Pyongyang Central Zoo, a state-run facility touted as a “showcase” of North Korean advancements. The zoo, renovated in 2016 under Kim Jong Un’s orders, features rare animals gifted to the regime, including lions, elephants, and primates like Azalea.
Chimpanzees are highly intelligent, social creatures, but Azalea’s life took a bizarre turn when zookeepers allegedly trained her to smoke cigarettes as entertainment for visitors. Reports revealed that she smoked up to 20 cigarettes a day—equivalent to a full pack—often handed to her by tourists or staff. Disturbingly, videos showed her adeptly lighting cigarettes with matches or a lighter.
International Outrage: Why Azalea Made Headlines
Azalea’s smoking habit went viral after tourists and journalists shared clips online. Key concerns included:
- Animal Cruelty: Smoking poses severe health risks, including lung cancer, heart disease, and addiction—even more dangerous for a chimpanzee with a shorter lifespan.
- Ethical Training: Experts questioned whether Azalea was coerced through punishment or food deprivation to perform.
- Tourist Spectacle: Critics argued the zoo exploited her to attract visitors, framing animal abuse as “enrichment.”
Animal rights groups like PETA condemned the act, urging North Korea to intervene. However, the regime dismissed criticism, with state media even portraying Azalea as a “happy smoker” who “enjoyed” cigarettes—a claim veterinarians called biologically impossible.
The Zoo’s Defense and North Korea’s Silence
Pyongyang Central Zoo officials initially defended Azalea’s behavior, insisting she smoked “voluntarily.” Some guides claimed she’d mimic humans she observed, but experts rejected this, explaining that primates lack the impulse to self-harm.
North Korea’s opaque governance hindered investigations. No independent audits of Azalea’s health or habitat conditions were allowed, and international zoological associations had no leverage to intervene.
What Happened to Azalea? Updates and Uncertain Fate
By 2020, reports suggested Azalea stopped smoking after global pressure, though verification remains impossible due to North Korea’s isolation. Limited visitor accounts claimed she was alive but no longer performed. Skepticism persists:
- Did zookeepers truly cease the practice, or did publicity force them to hide it?
- What long-term damage did smoking inflict on her health?
With no transparency, Azalea’s current condition remains a mystery.
Broader Implications: Animal Welfare in Captivity
Azalea’s case underscores alarming trends in exploitative animal tourism:
- Stress Behaviors: Captive primates often develop harmful habits (e.g., pacing, self-harm) due to confinement.
- Lack of Regulation: Zoos in authoritarian states operate without oversight, prioritizing spectacle over welfare.
- Visitor Responsibility: Tourists unwittingly fuel abuse by rewarding such shows with attention.
Conclusion: A Call for Awareness
Azalea’s story is a grim reminder of humanity’s ethical failures toward animals. While her fate hangs in limbo, her legacy should galvanize support for stricter global zoo standards and boycotts of attractions that normalize cruelty. As travelers, we must ask: Is our curiosity worth a life?
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Azalea smoking chimpanzee, Pyongyang Central Zoo, North Korea animal cruelty, chimpanzee smoking cigarettes, Azalea chimp updates, ethical zoos, primate exploitation
Further Reading:
- The Dark Side of North Korea’s Tourism Industry
- Global Cases of Animal Abuse in Captivity
- How to Identify Ethical Wildlife Sanctuaries
(Note: For verified updates on Azalea, follow international animal welfare organizations monitoring North Korea.)
