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Chimpanzee Aiai quits smoking

(www.ming7.cn)
Updated: 2006-06-30 11:17

A man lights a cigarette for a 26-year-old female chimpanzee named Aiai at Qinling Zoo in Xi'an, capital of northwest China's Shaanxi province, August 23, 2005. The chimpanzee began smoking in 1989 after her first mate died. Following the deaths of her second mate in 1997 and one of her offspring, and the transfer of another offspring to a different zoo, she began to smoke more heavily for the lose and separation. Zoo authorities announced on August 23 that they planned to help her stop smoking through several measures, such as finding a male chimpanzee for her. Two workers in the Qinling Zoo confirmed to China Daily on Friday, June 30, 2006, that the chimpanzee had already quitted smoking without giving details. [newsphoto]