Controversial Incident at Crimea’s Safari Park

Breezing in with a vaping pen at the zoo is one thing, but a young Russian boxer managed to take it further. Anastasia Luchkina, only 24 years old, handed her e-cigarette to an orangutan at Taigan Safari Park in Crimea, and it have certainly raised some eyebrows.

The footage, shared by Luchkina herself, displays her actions, which have been widely criticized as “intrusive,” per reports from the Russian outlet Zamin.uz.

The orangutan, named Dana, is said to have lost her appetite and been unresponsive all day, seemingly affected by the incident. Dana has been in the park since 2018.

Orangutans, in general, can be impacted by ingesting e-cigarette cartridges, which contain a nicotine solution ranging from 2.5 to 3 mL. As a result, veterinarians are expected to conduct further investigations into Dana’s condition in the coming days.

Dana is classified as an endangered species on the IUCN Red List. Luchkina’s coach, Vladimir Akatov, expressed surprise, saying he wasn’t aware of her habit. He also mentioned that they would discuss the situation upon her return from vacation.

Social media outrage has been palpable, with comments like, “She should be arrested and imprisoned for life for putting this innocent animal in danger,” reflecting a sense of public anger. Others echoed sentiments that Luchkina would face serious consequences for her actions.

PETA UK’s Vice President, Mimi Bekhechi, shared her disapproval, noting that if Luchkina thought this was acceptable, perhaps she doesn’t fully understand the gravity of her actions.

Interestingly, Luchkina has faced her own share of challenges in the boxing ring, having lost her only professional match against Indian boxer Vinashki in June.