At Safari World, a zoo in Bangkok, Thailand, orangutans are made to wear human clothes and entertain visitors by fighting each other in boxing shows, dancing in bikinis, and swinging on ziplines—activities viewed by animal rights groups as exploitative. Photo: (L) Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand / Tom Taylor (R) Amy Sussman/Getty Images/AFP
A visit by American actor Halle Bailey to a controversial zoo in Thailand has sparked concern from animal rights activists and triggered backlash on social media. The zoo has a history of unethical practices, including training animals to perform dangerous stunts and pose for photos with humans.
Last week, the 23-year-old actor, who stars in the upcoming Disney movie The Little Mermaid, shared photos of her posing with an elephant, a baby tiger, and an orangutan at the zoo—identified by activists as Safari World in Bangkok, Thailand.
