I’d seen this picture before (click thumbnail for larger version) and I always wondered about it’s origin.

It turns out the picture is of Xiku the chain-smoking chimpanzee who has almost kicked his deadly habit thanks to the efforts of zoo keepers in China, oh and a couple of beers!

Xiku became addicted to smoking while copying the habbits of his fellow human inmates during a career as a circus performer.

By the time he was sent to a zoo in Urumqi, the chimp was already smoking 10 cigarettes a day.

That number doubled as visitors threw him cigarettes for amusement, but he is now down to smoking four a day after some unorthodox efforts from zoo keepers..

“At the beginning, he became irascible when he wanted to smoke, jolting windows and doors,” one of the keepers was quoted as saying.

“We sometimes gave him some sunflower seeds or a bottle of beer to help him shake off the addiction and visitors are no longer allowed to throw him cigarettes.”

Bottle of beer huh – That will really help. No point giving up the cigs if he ends up having to subscribe to alcoholics anonymous?