Playful Spider Monkey Gets Into Hair-Pulling Showdown with Zoo Staff, Revealed to Be the Park's Star Attraction
A spider monkey named Touwtouw at Shanghai Wild Animal Park went viral for playfully pulling a zookeeper's hair, revealing the park's most beloved attraction who roams freely and greets visitors daily.
A viral video of a spider monkey at Shanghai Wild Animal Park in China has captured the hearts of people online, showcasing a hilarious playful interaction between the monkey and a zookeeper. The monkey, named Touwtouw, stands on a wooden table and reaches for the staff member's hair, who gently taps back at the monkey's head in return—a back-and-forth tussle with no clear winner.
Zoo officials revealed that Touwtouw is an exceptionally cheerful and highly social monkey who is unafraid of people and loves interacting with visitors, sometimes even helping to style their hair. Raised by caretakers since infancy, Touwtouw has developed a special bond with his handlers. As he matured, his playful antics increased, with the hair-pulling seen in the video simply representing his typical friendly teasing rather than aggressive behavior.
The zoo emphasizes that as long as visitors don't squeeze or grab him forcefully, Touwtouw remains gentle and affectionate. Remarkably, he is the only spider monkey at the park allowed to roam freely, appearing three times daily near the zoo's restaurant and greeting visitors at the entrance during weekends. His popularity has made him a beloved icon among the park's guests.
