A zoo in China fell into hot soup after it dressed a baby chimpanzee in a girl's dress, braided its hair to make it look like a little girl. The baby chimp, nicknamed Qixi, was eight months old. It was born nd raised at the Hesheng Forest Zoo in Qinyang, Henan province, South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported. The animal gained massive attention online, and people started treating it like a human baby and even interacting with it. 

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In a recent viral clip in China, Qixi was seen dressed in girls' clothing with her hair braided. In many of the videos posted online, Qixi was seen in a cot surrounded by toys or sitting in a stroller, holding a rubber dummy in her mouth.  

What's the controversy over the dressing? 

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Sun Quanhui, a scientist from the animal charity World Animal Protection China, opposed the decision of the zoo to dress the baby chimp. He pointed out that orangutans, like Qixi, have dense hair, which helps regulate their body temperature, and dressing them in clothes could interfere with this natural process.

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He further raised questions about the condition in which Qixi was living. He claimed that animals like her stay in groups and in the wild. He said that the zoo's decision to allow so much interaction of the baby chimp with visitors can affect its mental health. 

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He also slammed the zoo for using the animal as a source of entertainment. 

Zoo’s response

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In its defense, the zoo said that the clothes were meant to keep the chimp warm, while the braids were intended to enhance her appearance.

“Besides, the hair is so long that it covers its eyes,” the keeper was quoted as saying.

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(With inputs from agencies)