Wholesome video of chimpanzee babysitting "abandoned" tiger cubs goes viral, but also exposes reality of the exploitation of wild animals

Author image for Blake Seidel
Blake Seidel • Managing Editor & Brand Manager
May 13, 2025 10:00 AM EDT

We've all fallen prey to "fake news" on the internet, animal fam. It happens to the best of us. People editing together videos to create a wholesome story that didn't exist. But this, this is something different. This is a true story, but told from the wrong angle. On the surface, this video of a chimapanzee "learning" to care for "abandoned" tiger cubs, babysitting them as if he was their father, seems pawsitively wholesome, relatable, and hooman-like. Almost too hooman-like, if you ask us.

The ugly truth of this video is that these animals are being exploited by hoomans for profit. They take wild animals, breed them in captivity, and then force them to take videos with people for money. They put animals that would never normally interact in the wild together, make a cute video that goes viral, and then profit from it. We're sharing this so you can understand that, no matter how cute it is, it's not worth the price of the health and happiness of these poor animals.

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  • 01
    scovery Family A male orangutan at the Myrtle Beach Safari in South Carolina observed caretakers bottle- feeding tiger cubs and now mimics their care for the young big cats.
    via youronlysourceofserotonin
  • 02
    Family
    via youronlysourceofserotonin
  • 03
    youronlysourceofserotonin 1d Meet this cute orangutan, his name is Suria, and he adores caring for abandoned tiger cubs. It so happened that in the Myrtle Beach Safari Preserve, South Carolina, three tiger cubs were left without a mother. They never knew maternal care and love, but help came to them unexpectedly.
    via youronlysourceofserotonin
  • 04
    Family
    via youronlysourceofserotonin
  • 05
    One day, the reserve's staff found an orangutan surrounded by three orphaned tiger cubs. The primate played with them, held them in his arms, hugged and stroked them. Everyone was very touched by such a manifestation of such care. And eventually, he also began to feed them with milk from a bottle
    via youronlysourceofserotonin

  • Three baby tiger cubs… all without mothers? In South Carolina? Something smells fishy here, and it's not the tiger food. Also, why are they letting chimpanzees be in the same enclosure as tiger cubs??

  • 06
    Family
    via youronlysourceofserotonin
  • 07
    Discovery Family
    via youronlysourceofserotonin
  • 08
    tay.quierooo0 1d What in the Life of Pi is happening here
    via tay.quierooo0
  • 09
    Family
    via youronlysourceofserotonin
  • 10
    Family
    via youronlysourceofserotonin
  • 11
    einekleinenikki 1d Places like the myrtle beach safari need to stop going viral. They keep and breed animals in captivity and have them as attractions for influencers to post pics with and it's disgusting. They do nothing for wild animal conservation and rehabilitation ②
    via @
  • 12
    scovery Family
    via youronlysourceofserotonin

  • It's cute. It's very cute. But chimpanzees are not hoomans, and they shouldn't be treated like they are. They are wild animals, and deserve to be in their appropriate environments. How would you feel if you were kept in a cage and forced to do things while people watched you?

  • 13
    m.durfee 18h As cute as this is, any unaccredited "safari" or "sanctuary" is not providing adequate care for its animals. Even placing these species together, who would never interact in the wild purely for views, shows their lack of dedication to true animal husbandry and welfare. Their only concern is profit by pushing "cute" videos like this, with no regard to animal safety
    via m.durfee
  • 14
    Family
    via youronlysourceofserotonin
  • 15
    rockymountainvintagetoo 16h Why are there so many baby tiger cubs there? Sounds like they're turning them for profit.
    via rockymountainvintagetoo
  • 16
    Family
    via youronlysourceofserotonin
  • 17
    mannybritt 1d Not thrilled about these animals in captivity in a commercialized space but that is cute
    via mannybritt
  • 18
    scovery Family
    via youronlysourceofserotonin
  • 19
    tmi_darktower 1d Abandoned tiger cubs in South Carolina?
    via tmi_darktower
  • 20
    Family
    via youronlysourceofserotonin
  • 21
    its_juste_jenny 20h This is Doc Antle's park. He is under investigation for many violations. Do not promote his park! The animals are not well taken care of behind the scenes. Always question why places have a supply of baby animals. Tigers only breed every few years in the wild. DO NOT PAY TO PET WILDLIFE!
    via its_juste_jenny
  • 22
    Family
    via youronlysourceofserotonin
  • 23
    miamirealtorchic ❤ 18h Don't be fooled by this cuteness _these creatures are not happy. Captivity is not conservation, and no zoo enclosure can replicate the freedom and complexity of the wild. What you're seeing is survival, not a life of fulfillment. We must do better!!
    via miamirealtorchic
  • 24
    There was a problem rendering this video - it may have been deleted.
    via youronlysourceofserotonin

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Tags

aww wholesome viral videos chimpanzee adorable wild animals cute animals cute tiger tiger cub babysitting exposed viral animal videos animals
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