WHILE many humans are yet to understand the functionality of the world’s number one internet tablet, the Apple iPad, a group of orangutans at the Milwaukee County Zoo in the United States of America, are already exhibiting their dexterity on the gadget.

The animals, which belong to the ape family, love the iPad and its games just as much as some humans do.

Two of the zoo’s orangutans, according to a report, are already on weekly sessions with an iPad. They even have favourite apps, shows and games, but a report says they haven’t yet been given free rein with the device because keepers worry they might get frustrated and simply snap one in half.

It all began as an April Fool’s joke, according to a keeper at the zoo. A gorilla keeper was half-joking about getting an iPad to use with gorillas after seeing a story in a British publication. He contacted the Milwaukee County Zoo to float the idea of using his old iPad to work with orangutans. It was an instant hit.

Orangutans are large apes that live in southeast Asia . They mostly live in trees and swing from branch to branch using their arms.