Heartbreaking footage shows the ‘world's saddest' orangutan - performing tricks for tourists so they can pose for selfies.

The 18-year-old female ape named Marimar is the sole member of her species housed at Malabon Zoo and Aquarium in Malabon City, the Philippines.

Footage shows Marimar holding a cookie placed on her nose, which she quickly licked off her face on June 1.

She was given another treat as she continued to entertain onlookers who cheered each time she ate them without using her hands.

But despite receiving the sweets and attention, Marimar stayed in one spot with a distant expression.

Visitor Erica May Ignacio said: ‘Marimar is very smart and knows many tricks. She can even understand other Filipino dialects aside from Tagalog.'

Apart from doing tricks, the adult primate stayed at the exhibition spot for hours so families could take pictures with her.

An enraged visitor said in a review of the zoo: ‘They keep on reiterating that they're operating the zoo because of their love for animals or wildlife and they want to share the experience of being near them to the public.

‘After visiting the zoo with my wife, my daughter and my nephew, I realised that all those statements were false and just a way to hide a grandiose money-making scheme.'

Another added: 'The orangutan Marimar looks like the saddest animal in the world. I wish she could be released.'

While orangutans are naturally semi-solitary in the wild, they can still experience stress or boredom in captivity, especially if they are a female or a juvenile.

Orangutans are large, tree-dwelling great apes native to the rainforests of Borneo and Sumatra in Southeast Asia.

They are known for their reddish-brown hair, long arms, and intelligent, expressive faces.