Auntie Bua has been dubbed the world’s loneliest gorilla having been locked up in Pata Zoo in Thailand for more than four decades. And there’s no suggestion she’ll ever taste freedom again
09:00, 12 Jan 2025Updated 09:11, 12 Jan 2025
Bua Noi is behind bars on seventh floor of Bangkok department store
The world’s loneliest gorilla who has been caged in a shopping centre zoo for more than four decades repeatedly bears the brunt of employees’ sick jokes as they invite visitors to gawk at her through prison-like bars.
Auntie Bua is her name, or Bua Noi, and she’s just spent her 41st Christmas locked away in a dingy concrete cage the Pata Zoo in Thailand calls her “home”. However, in reality it’s been dubbed one of the gloomiest places on Earth where celebrities and animal rights campaigners have for years tried to rescue her from.
Shocking reports previously emerged claiming that the owner is demanding a whopping £700,000 to let Auntie Bua taste freedom inside a proper sanctuary, so she was forced to spend the festive season nabbing snacks from sightseers rather than relishing her natural habitat.
Bua has been caged in the zoo for more than 40 years(Image: AFP via Getty Images)
The zoo’s owner insists they love Bua “like their own daughter” and assures the public she’s in safe hands, however, a recent Facebook post by Pata Zoo reveals otherwise. The post in question states that Bua is regularly the butt of jokes at the zoo, with members of staff writing that they play tricks on her when it comes to her food.
Staff “trick” Bua by placing her food baskets in the middle of her cage so gawking visitors can see her eating clearly and “keep staring”, according to the zoo.
The post even goes on to say Auntie Bua makes “a frowning face” when staff do this but they continue to find it hilarious that Bua is being cruelly pranked.
Staff play tricks on Bua while visitors watch(Image: Facebook)
While some of the Facebook post has been lost in translation, it seems as though Bua is watched by visitors at 3pm every day when it’s time to eat. The post reads: “Since the team made this basket for aunty, they have used many techniques to trick aunty into eating in the middle of the room to see her eating clearly. And they keep staring [emoji] when will aunty stand up to pay for market ???…
“We will mount soon [emoji] Aunt got pranked ( Haha )… Like I like to pass on that. Every time I come, I see aunt making a frowning face !!! [emoji]… I feel sorry for the team… ***EAT EVERYDAY AT 3PM [emoji] WITH AUNTIE’S FAVORITE MEAL !!! Note: Aunt eats many meals a day, but this meal, I eat for a long time. Full. Eat until my belly is out [emoji] No cheating to starve.”
The cage has been dubbed one of the gloomiest places on Earth and unfit for animals(Image: Daily Mirror)
The comments on the post don’t show any cause for concern, instead Facebook users seem to encourage the staff’s behaviour and caging of Bua.
Jason Baker, a boss at PETA Asia, previously slammed the zoo saying: “Bua Noi the gorilla is suffering from extreme psychological distress in the concrete enclosure to which she has been confined alone for nearly 40 years, longer than most Thai people have been alive.
“PETA has offered multiple times to transfer her and all the other animals at Pata Zoo to reputable sanctuaries, where they would have trees to climb, grass to roll in, and other animals to socialise with.
Tourists stare at Auntie Bua all day, every day(Image: Facebook)
“This shabby facility is internationally condemned as one of the worst zoos in the world. All the animals held captive there are confined to pitifully small, barren enclosures and denied sunshine, fresh air, and opportunities to exercise or engage in behaviour that’s meaningful to them.”
Bua has been imprisoned inside the Bangkok zoo, located at the Pata Pinklao Department Store on the sixth and seventh floor, since 1983.
Bua seems disassociated as people constantly film her behind prison-like bars
The country’s environment minister previously voiced his wish to see Bua Noi relocated to a sanctuary. However, his secretary told the media: “We have held activities in the past campaigning for Bua Noi’s release and to raise funds. We collected donations from Bua Noi’s supporters. But the problem is that the owner refuses to sell Bua Noi.
“When he does agree to sell her, the price is too high. Bua Noi is considered private property so we cannot do anything to remove her. The owner bought Bua Noi before laws were introduced to prevent the trade and ownership of endangered animals and wild animals.”
Pata Zoo has defended the treatment of the gorilla with the director claiming criticism of her welfare “doesn’t concern me”. “Those people saw the picture of her on the internet and assume she’s depressed,” said Kanit Sermsirimongkol.
Campaigners have consistently called for Bua’s release to a proper sanctuary(Image: AFP via Getty Images)
“But that’s how she looks just like humans – some have a sad face and some have a happy face. We have been taking care of Bua Noi like our own daughter. I know that we will have to find her a suitable new home one day but it’s not a good idea to immediately release her back into the wild without teaching her how to survive on her own.”