This is the bizarre moment an ape on the loose that appears to be a baby gorilla climbs up the drainpipes of a high-rise residential building.

One stunned passerby, who was not named, filmed the strange sight that he reportedly witnessed in the city of Shaoguan, in China’s southern Guangdong Province.

Phone footage shared on Douyin, China’s version of TikTok on 7th December, shows what looks like a small gorilla crawling up the pipes on the outer wall.

It occasionally stepped on the windowsills to rest, and it reportedly climbed to a height of no less than the fifth floor.

Many online users expressed surprise and speculated about the animal’s exact species.

Residents from the building said they were not sure if it was a gorilla or some other primate.

They immediately reported the case to police, but the wild animal is yet to be found and captured.

Property management staff told local media: “We contacted the Forestry Bureau on that day. We are not sure what it is exactly.

“Similar situations have occurred in other nearby communities.”

Staff said that the building that the animal climbed was mostly vacant, so it did not cause significant trouble.

They added: “It’s quite big, and it climbs quite fast. We ran to the top of a building to catch it.

“Just as we reached the top, it ran to another building.”

Currently, the whereabouts of this animal are unknown.

The property management said they will be on the lookout for it, adding: “It’s better to capture it because we are also afraid it might harm people.”

Meanwhile, wildlife authorities reminded citizens to remain calm if they encounter any wild animals and avoid contact.