North Korean chimpanzee smokes a pack of cigarettes a day

Azalea is the name of the chimpanzee found in the Pyongyang zoo in North Korea and who smokes a pack of cigarettes per day.

According to Infobae, the 19-year-old primate learned to light cigarettes after the zoo’s own workers, recently inaugurated, gave him tobacco and a lighter.

Several animal rights advocates showed outrage at the act of the animal and accused the park as «cruel practices.»

However, Azalea caretakers explained that the chimpanzee does not inhale tobacco smoke, according to the Argentine digital newspaper.

In addition to smoking, coaches taught her to dance, touch her nose and bow to thank her.

The zoo is one of the main tourist sites of the city and has within its facilities elephants, giraffes, penguins and other species.