'Orangutan Grabs Chest'... 'The Little Mermaid' Caught in Animal Abuse Controversy

American actress Halle Bailey (23), who plays the title role in the upcoming Disney movie 'The Little Mermaid,' has been embroiled in controversy for allegedly encouraging animal abuse.

According to the British media outlet Mirror on the 29th (local time), Bailey posted photos on her Instagram on the 19th showing her visit to 'Safari World' in Bangkok, Thailand.

Photo by Instagram of Halle Bailey

In the photos, Bailey is seen hugging an orangutan and feeding a baby tiger with a milk bottle, enjoying time with the animals. Notably, the trained orangutan performed acts such as kissing Bailey and grabbing her chest.

The issue arose because this zoo is notorious for subjecting animals to cruel training over a long period. 'Safari World' has been under international scrutiny for years for mistreating orangutans and elephants cruelly and confining lions and tigers in cramped cages. Moreover, it was involved in a case 20 years ago involving the trafficking of over 100 primates.

At this controversial zoo, Bailey took photos hugging an orangutan and feeding a baby tiger with a milk bottle. Furthermore, the footage was aired on ABC, a Disney-owned network.

The animal protection organization 'Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand' pointed out that Bailey’s posts and the appearance of the zoo on Disney-owned talk show 'Jimmy Kimmel Live' could give tourists a misleading impression.

Photo by Walt Disney Company Korea

'World Animal Protection Thailand' criticized Bailey’s posts, stating, "Many wild animals in Thailand are confined from a young age and subjected to harsh training that causes physical and mental harm. They are then forced to 'work' in poor conditions for life," adding, "By participating in or promoting such activities, tourists inadvertently contribute to the vicious cycle of animal abuse."

They also said, "Many people know Disney’s creations like Bambi, Dumbo, and Ariel. They have inspired love for wildlife across generations," but lamented, "It is very disappointing that Disney has recently been involved in promoting cruel orangutan performances in Thailand."

However, some of Bailey’s fans defended her, saying, "Bailey probably didn’t know what she was doing," and "If I didn’t know how the animals were treated there, I would have acted the same way. People learn from mistakes."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.