Smoking chimp dead at 52

BLOEMFONTEIN, South Africa, Oct. 6 (UPI) -- A chimpanzee famous for his smoking habit has died at a South African zoo at the age of 52 -- 10 years older than his species' average life expectancy.

Keepers at Mangaung Zoo near Bloemfontein announced the chimp's death Tuesday and said a post mortem examination will be carried out to determine the exact cause of death, Britain's The Sun reported Wednesday.

Zookeeper Qondile Khedama said Charlie was an "occasional smoker" believed to have picked up the habit while working with a U.S. circus.

Officials said the chimpanzee would beg for lit cigarettes from zoo visitors, puff on them a few times and throw them to the ground when caught by zoo workers.