BLOEMFONTEIN, South Africa -- A South African zoo wants a chimp to go cold turkey.

Slideshow: Chimp Starts Smoking Cigarettes At Zoo
Video: Chimp Picks Up Smoking Habit

The chimpanzee smokes cigarettes. Keepers said Charlie picked up the habit by watching smoking visitors. People toss him the smokes and he puffs away.

A spokesman at the Bloemfontein Zoo said, "It looks funny to see a chimp smoking" -- but Charlie's trick could cost him his health.

The zoo is asking people to stop tossing cigarettes and contributing to the chimp's habit.

A zoo official said Charlie "acts like a naughty schoolboy" and hides his cigarettes when workers are around.