This is the moment a family of baboons escape from a sadistic zoo visitor in China when he attacks them with a high-powered catapult.

Zoo Baboons Dodge Cruel Abuser With Slingshot from News X on Vimeo.

The visitor – caught on camera by a tourist at the zoo in Weifang, Shandong Province – is spotted after releasing a volley of shots at the defenceless apes.

In the video – shared later on Douyin, China’s version of TikTok – the troop of baboons scream in alarm as they dodge the attack.

They are only saved from harm by the troop leader – a huge male – who shields them with his body and holds them back from the line of fire.

Then the camera turns towards the apparent culprit who is seen holding a yellow slingshot in his hands.

A seemingly disturbed mother can be seen pulling her child away from the scene as she stares down the cruel bully.

The video caused outrage among social media users.

Douyin user ‘is the bridge far’ said: “This man deserves severe punishment.”

And user ‘Uncle Pi’ wrote: “Push him in so the baboon can tear him up.”

Afterwards, Weifang Jinbao Paradise Co., Ltd. Zoo spoke out about the incident and said the case has been reported to police.

Investigators are currently searching for the man, who managed to slip away unnoticed by zoo staff.

Thankfully, the baboons were not injured, staff claimed.

The zoo also promised to increase supervision to ensure the safety of the animals.

A similar incident was recorded at a zoo in Yantai, Shandong Province, where a barbaric zoo-goer was filmed throwing rocks at a defenceless lioness.

Footage of the thug’s behaviour was caught on a smartphone and later shared on Douyin.

In the clip, a man wearing a red jacket and black trousers walks up to the safety barrier and sees a lioness relaxing in the sun beside a natural cliff.

He seems to throw one rock which lands short, then he flings a second.

It sails so close to the big cat she tries to catch it in her mouth, apparently thinking it is a treat to eat.

As he turns away from the enclosure, the man smirks and says (in Chinese): “If they release it, it will probably eat me.”

Zoo staff later responded to the controversial video and claimed they will report the case to police.