Russian boxer under fire for giving vape to orangutan at Crimean safari park; ape takes a few puffs, now unwell
Dana, believed to be the only orangutan in Crimea, has been living at Taigan Safari Park since 2018. According to Zamin.uz, the incident has taken a toll on her –– she's reportedly lethargic, avoiding human contact, and refusing to eat. There's growing fear she may have ingested the vape's nicotine cartridge, which contains between 2.5 and 3 ml of liquid nicotine. Veterinarians are currently running tests to assess the extent of the damage.
Since orangutans are listed in Russia's 'Red Book' of endangered species, the matter is being taken seriously by zoo authorities. An investigation is underway to understand how this incident was allowed to happen. Luchkina could now face legal consequences, including a fine and a possible ban from the park.
Russian boxer Anastasia Luchkina lets an endangered orangutan take a hit from her vape pen.
The 24-year-old boxer is under fire after having the orangutan use her e-cigarette in Crimea.
According to local outlets, the orangutan displayed 'disturbing' behavior after consuming… pic.twitter.com/oRjhq59XLa
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) July 2, 2025
Her coach, Vladimir Akatov, expressed surprise at the controversy, telling reporters: 'I didn't know Anastasia was a smoker. She is currently on holiday. We will definitely discuss this matter when she returns.'
Netizens, however, did not hold back. Outrage has poured in across social media platforms, with users calling her behaviour 'disgusting,' 'dangerous,' and 'irresponsible'. One person wrote, 'What kind of person thinks it's okay to do this kind of stuff?' while another wrote, 'Has there been any action yet, or are they waiting for the orangutan to file an official complaint against Anastasia Luchkina?'
PETA UK's vice president Mimi Bekhechi didn't mince words while talking to SunSport: 'Anastasia Luchkina must have received a few too many knocks to the head if she thinks it's a lark to give an orangutan a vape… a violation of this intelligent, gentle ape's welfare.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
an hour ago
- First Post
Kasparov drops massive statement on Gukesh's latest triumph over Carlsen: 'Now we can question Magnus' domination'
D Gukesh defeated Magnus Carlsen for the second time in as many meetings in the space of a month, albeit in different tournaments and formats, and Russian chess legend Garry Kasparov for one felt the result raised questions on the Norwegian's domination of the sport. read more D Gukesh defeated Magnus Carlsen for the second time in as many meetings on Day 2 of the SuperUnited Rapid and Blitz event in Zagreb, Croatia. Image credit: Lennart Ootes/Grand Chess Tour Russian chess legend Garry Kasparov questioned Magnus Carlsen's dominance in the sport after the latter suffered a second defeat against D Gukesh in as many meetings, albeit in different tournaments and formats. After suffering a stunning loss at the hands of the reigning world champion in last month's Norway Chess, Carlsen ended up on the wrong side of the result on the second day of the SuperUnited Rapid and Blitz Croatia in Zagreb. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD And their latest meeting wasn't anything like last month's showdown in Stavanger, where Carlsen was in a dominant position at one stage and staring at a second consecutive victory over the 19-year-old, the world. Also Read | 'I got soundly punished': Carlsen praises Gukesh after suffering another defeat, admits struggling for form The two players were on fairly level terms until Carlsen committed a blunder in his 35th move, and Gukesh was quick to pounce on the opening and force his hallowed opponent to resign in 49 moves and move to the sole lead. 'It's a convincing loss': Kasparov Kasparov, who had been the youngest Classical world champion for nearly four decades until his record was broken by Gukesh, felt that the time had finally arrived for Carlsen's domination to be question. Especially with Gukesh triumphing over him in Rapid chess – a format he hasn't achieved as much success in as Classical chess. 'Now we can question Magnus' domination. This is not just his second loss to Gukesh, it's a convincing loss. It's not a miracle or that Gukesh benefited from terrible mistakes. It was a real fight. And Magnus lost,' former world champion and No 1 Kasparov said while on commentary during the official broadcast. Kasparov as Gukesh beats Carlsen: "A very important day! Now we can question Magnus' domination. It's not just the second loss, it's a very convincing loss!" #GrandChessTour — chess24 (@chess24com) July 3, 2025 STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The Russian chess legend also criticised Carlsen's mindset while hailing Gukesh's resilience. 'His resilience reminds me of computers. With computers, if you lose concentration, you're done. Gukesh is the kind of player you have to beat multiple times… Carlsen came here looking for revenge after Norway Chess, and that's never a good mindset,' the 62-year-old added. What made Gukesh's victory over Carlsen even sweeter was the fact that it wasn't just his second consecutive victory against an individual counted among the greatest in chess history. It also was a perfect response to someone who had described him as a 'weaker player' before the start of the tournament. Gukesh had finished in the joint lead at the end of Day 1 at Zagreb before becoming the sole leader after defeating Fabiano Caruana and Carlsen the following day. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
NDTV
4 hours ago
- NDTV
Naomi Osaka Blows Chance To Reach Wimbledon Fourth Round, Loses To Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova
Naomi Osaka admits she contemplates life without tennis but the Japanese star does not plan to quit just yet despite her latest painful defeat at Wimbledon on Friday. Osaka blew a golden opportunity to reach the Wimbledon fourth round for the first time as she was beaten by Russian world number 50 Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova. The 27-year-old took the first set on Court Two, but she lost her way as Pavlyuchenkova battled back to clinch a 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 victory. Osaka is a four-time Grand Slam champion but she has not won a major since 2021 and has still never been beyond the third round at the All England Club. "Right now I'm just really upset. I wanted to better than I did before. I thought I could make a great run here but clearly not," Osaka said. Since her triumph at the Australian Open four years ago, she is on a dismal run of 12 successive Grand Slam appearances without reaching the fourth round. Osaka gave birth to a daughter in July 2023, returning from a 15-month sabbatical for the start of the 2024 season. Visibly frustrated throughout her post-match press conference after losing on Friday, she was asked if she thought about hanging up her racquet to find happiness elsewhere. "Yeah. I feel like I'd be kind of crazy to not, but I think right now I have so many things I want to attempt to achieve," she said. "I feel like while I still have the opportunity to try to do it, I want to, even though I get very upset when I lose, but I think that's my competitive nature. That's also the younger sister syndrome. "No person wants to feel this way, like, multiple times throughout the year, but tennis players are crazy." The former world number one, now a lowly 53rd in the WTA rankings, has always struggled on grass and is relishing a return to hard courts. "In Paris I was very emotional when I sat there (after losing in the first round) and now I don't feel anything. I guess I prefer to feel nothing than everything," she said. "I'm just going to be a negative human being today. I have nothing positive to say about myself. "I'm glad to be done with this, and I'm looking forward to the hard courts." Pavlyuchenkova, 34, reached the Wimbledon quarter-finals in 2016 and the former French Open finalist hopes to emulate that run. "I felt like I was behind for the majority of the match, so I played point-by-point. I'm incredibly happy because I was mentally tough in the three matches that I have won," the Russian said. "I'm usually not so good on grass. The majority of you were cheering for Naomi today but it's OK. As I said, I'm mentally tough."
Indian Express
9 hours ago
- Indian Express
Russian boxer under fire for giving vape to orangutan at Crimean safari park; ape takes a few puffs, now unwell
Russian boxer Anastasia Luchkina is under fire after a video surfaced showing her handing a vape to a caged orangutan at a safari park in Crimea. The footage, which has since gone viral, shows the athlete taking a puff before passing the vape through the fence to the orangutan named Dana. The animal appears to inhale the vapor several times and exhales a visible cloud, sparking widespread backlash over concerns for its health and well-being. Dana, believed to be the only orangutan in Crimea, has been living at Taigan Safari Park since 2018. According to the incident has taken a toll on her –– she's reportedly lethargic, avoiding human contact, and refusing to eat. There's growing fear she may have ingested the vape's nicotine cartridge, which contains between 2.5 and 3 ml of liquid nicotine. Veterinarians are currently running tests to assess the extent of the damage. Since orangutans are listed in Russia's 'Red Book' of endangered species, the matter is being taken seriously by zoo authorities. An investigation is underway to understand how this incident was allowed to happen. Luchkina could now face legal consequences, including a fine and a possible ban from the park. Russian boxer Anastasia Luchkina lets an endangered orangutan take a hit from her vape pen. The 24-year-old boxer is under fire after having the orangutan use her e-cigarette in Crimea. According to local outlets, the orangutan displayed 'disturbing' behavior after consuming… — Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) July 2, 2025 Her coach, Vladimir Akatov, expressed surprise at the controversy, telling reporters: 'I didn't know Anastasia was a smoker. She is currently on holiday. We will definitely discuss this matter when she returns.' Netizens, however, did not hold back. Outrage has poured in across social media platforms, with users calling her behaviour 'disgusting,' 'dangerous,' and 'irresponsible'. One person wrote, 'What kind of person thinks it's okay to do this kind of stuff?' while another wrote, 'Has there been any action yet, or are they waiting for the orangutan to file an official complaint against Anastasia Luchkina?' PETA UK's vice president Mimi Bekhechi didn't mince words while talking to SunSport: 'Anastasia Luchkina must have received a few too many knocks to the head if she thinks it's a lark to give an orangutan a vape… a violation of this intelligent, gentle ape's welfare.'
