Cheeto 'shaped like Harambe the dead gorilla' is sold for $100,000 after frenzied online auction 

  • A flamin' hot Cheeto that looks like Harambe has been sold for $99,900
  • There were 132 bids for the Cheeto after it went up for auction on eBay
  • Harambe gained worldwide attention last year when zookeepers at Cincinnati Zoo shot him dead to protect a three-year-old child who fell in the enclosure

By Thomas Burrows for MailOnline

Published: 05:38 EST, 7 February 2017 | Updated: 06:36 EST, 7 February 2017

A Cheeto that resembles Harambe has sold for $100,000 after a frenzied bidding war.

There were 132 bids for the rare 'one of a kind' Cheeto - and the starting price had been at $11.99 before it skyrocketed during the week.

Harambe gained worldwide attention last year when zookeepers at the Cincinnati Zoo shot him to protect a three-year-old child that fell in the enclosure.

A Cheeto that resembles Harambe has sold for $100,000 after a bidding war on eBay

A Cheeto that resembles Harambe has sold for $100,000 after a bidding war on eBay

The bidding for the Harambe shaped crisp ended on Tuesday morning.

The description posted on eBay read: 'I opened up a bag of Flamin Hot Cheetos and as soon as I looked inside I came across this unique Cheetos that looks like Harambe the gorilla.

'This item is one of a kind. It measures up to about one-and-a-half inches in length.

'This item up for bid is only for this unique Cheetos, bag not included.' 

eBay have insisted any bid made will go ahead.

A spokesman said: 'Where we believe there is unhelpful bidding activity we will take an active role in monitoring the sale for the seller.' 

The death of Harambe, a male western lowland gorilla, led to mourning around the globe

The death of Harambe, a male western lowland gorilla, led to mourning around the globe

A three-year-old boy managed to slip inside the gorilla enclosure on May 28 and was dragged along by the leg by the 17-year-old male western lowland gorilla

A three-year-old boy managed to slip inside the gorilla enclosure on May 28 and was dragged along by the leg by the 17-year-old male western lowland gorilla

The death of the 17-year-old male western lowland gorilla led to mourning around the globe and a storm of criticism and unending social media attention.  

The boy, who had slipped away from his mother, recovered without major injury.  

Animal welfare activists and other gorilla fans expressed anger at Harambe's death, and it became the subject of countless internet memes, jokes on social media and popular culture references 

 

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