An orangutan's high-wire act sparked "escape" rumours at a zoo in eastern China.

Video filmed at Shanghai's Wild Animal Park on August 29, shows an orangutan clambering up a high-altitude cableway, quickly gathering a large crowd of intrigued spectators.

Some onlookers even humorously quipped the creature had "escaped" from its enclosure.

However, far from being a bid for freedom, the sight was part of a deliberate and well-planned event.

Responding to the buzz, a zoo spokesperson clarified that this performance was conducted to mark World Orangutan Day, shedding light on this endangered species.

With the intention of better showcasing the natural tree-dwelling instincts of these creatures, the zoo introduced the "Orangutan Aerial Walk", adding facilities like the high-altitude cableway for the primates.

Visitors were thus treated to a closer understanding and appreciation of the species. Prior to the initiation of this project, the safety of both the orangutans and the visitors was extensively assessed and ensured.

The video was provided by local media with permission.

8月29日，上海野生动物园，一只大猩猩攀爬高空索道，引起众多游客围观，还有人调侃大猩猩“越狱“了。
对此，动物园一名工作人员回应称，这是为纪念世界红毛猩猩日举办的活动，呼吁人们关注了解这一濒危物种红毛猩猩，园区特意设置“猩空漫步”行为展示，增加高空索道等设施，以更好展现它们树栖动物的天性，让游客认识、了解这一物种。该项目在设计之初，已充分评估考虑猩猩与游客安全问题。
红毛猩猩在马来语和印尼语叫做“Orang utan”，意思是“森林中的人”，这种称呼也与红毛猩猩表现出的聪慧密不可分。它们与人类基因相似度达96.4%，是一种智力非常高的灵长类动物。红毛猩猩生活在热带雨林地区，几乎吃饭睡觉都是在树上完成的，很少下地。由于体重过重，它们不像其他灵长类动物，在林间跳跃，而是采用“手脚并用”的方式穿梭，所以才会显得“笨重”。