Shocking footage shows a chimpanzee hysterically banging on the glass window of its enclosure as visitors provoked it by repeatedly teasing it when it was already agitated.

Distressing footage captured by a tourist shows the disturbed animal continuously banging on the glass, spinning in circles, clapping its hands, and then banging on the glass again.

Zoogoers who reportedly wanted to have their fun by watching the chimp confined in a small space get agitated over the sound of them tapping the glass.

Surrounded by a group of strangers, it did not take long for the caged animal to go berserk at the Shanghai Zoo in China on Friday, April 5.

The filmer said: 'It was really heartbreaking to watch. I was really scared and felt deeply disturbed. I visited the zoo, but I feel like it will take me several days to recover from this experience.'

Zoo managers later responded claiming that the chimp, an adult male with a rather large tempter, was worked up due to visitors teasing it.

They reminded visitors that such behaviour is not allowed. However, they claimed that due to the large number of tourists that day, zoo employees could not manage to regulate everyone.

The chimpanzee's mood has since stabilised, staff added.