A chimpanzee addicted to smoking cigarettes has died aged 52 - after living 10 years longer than the average ape.

Charlie the Smoking Chimp became famous around the world after picking up the bad habit from visitors to his South African zoo. Qondile Khedama, from Mangaung Zoo, near Bloemfontein, said Charlie was only an "occasional smoker."

She explained the zoo discouraged the practice, but visitors threw the ape lit cigarettes through his bars.

Khedama said Charlie had been receiving special care, including a diet of protein shakes and vitamin and mineral supplements, before his death.

"Charlie was known for his bad habit of smoking, which also earned him worldwide fame," she added.

A post mortem on the chimp will take place soon, which may show if smoking contributed to his death.

The number of cigarettes Charlie smoked remains a mystery, as he went to great lengths to hide the unhealthy habit from his keepers.

Daryl Barnes, the zoo's senior nature conservator, said that whenever Charlie was caught he would throw the cigarette down, "grin at us, bob his head and try to lure us away from the cigarette on the ground."

Orange News