A gorilla picks up turf from the ground and throws it out on tourists in Nanning, Guangxi, China, undated. A tourist was hit in the head. Note: Picture is a screenshot from the video. (AsiaWire/NX)

A famous gorilla at a Chinese zoo has injured a tourist after hurling a stone into a crowd.

The incident took place in the city of Nanning, which is the capital of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region in southern China, on 1st May.

According to multiple reports, the gorilla, known to fans as "Diunaxing," was playing in front of a crowd at Nanning Zoo when it suddenly threw a rock into the audience, hitting a visitor.

A gorilla picks up turf from the ground and throws it out on tourists in Nanning, Guangxi, China, undated. A tourist was hit in the head. Note: Picture is a screenshot from the video. (AsiaWire/NX)

Footage captured by onlookers showed the animal running around its enclosure holding the stone before launching it.

Zoo staff rushed to the scene and the injured person was taken to hospital, though the injuries were later confirmed as minor.

The Nanning Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism said the tourist returned to their hotel after treatment.

The source of the rock is still unknown and is under investigation.

Diunaxing is well known to zoo-goers and social media users in China for its playful behaviour, especially throwing objects like turf and flowers at crowds.

The same animal went viral in March 2024 for digging up clumps of grass and turf and throwing them at visitors, striking one man on the head.

A gorilla picks up turf from the ground and throws it out on tourists in Nanning, Guangxi, China, undated. A tourist was hit in the head. Note: Picture is a screenshot from the video. (AsiaWire/NX)

The video from that incident was widely shared on Douyin, China's version of TikTok, where users debated the ethics of such performances.

User 'Succulent' Me said: "It's the cornerstone of Nanning Zoo. Nanning Zoo now relies entirely on it to attract visitors."

And 'big fish' added: "If there was no electricity [on the fence] the gorilla would jump out and slap a tourist to death."

In response to the recent incident, the zoo clarified that the gorilla would not be punished.

Staff said they respected the habits of wild animals and encouraged peaceful coexistence rather than disciplinary action.

Nanning Zoo’s senior animal trainer, Kong Fanming, previously stated that gorillas are intelligent, emotionally expressive, and often imitate human behaviour.

The zoo has urged tourists not to tease or feed the animals, warning that such actions can provoke unpredictable responses.

Diunaxing remains a major attraction at the zoo, and the gorilla house is still open to the public.

(MJ Leidig/newsX)