Advertisement banners featuring an orang utan playing the electric guitar has rocked animal lovers and activists, who are upset with what they feel is an exploitation of wildlife.

The banners to promote a restaurant chain, which opened here just weeks ago, have caused an uproar on social media, attracting criticism even from those in Australia.

Sabah Wildlife Department director William Baya said the restaurant operator had asked its opinion about using such a picture for the posters prior to having them printed.

"We advised them against the move because we thought it would be inappropriate but they went ahead with their plans," he claimed.

Baya said the department had received numerous comments on the matter since a photograph of the banner was circulated on Facebook and Twitter, among others.

He voiced concerns that Sabah was being portrayed as exploiting wildlife for profit.

"We need to look at the bigger picture, whether the photograph is real or not," he said.

He said the department would meet with the restaurant's management as soon as possible.

Attempts to reach the restaurant chain were unsuccessful.

Others have left comments on the Facebook page of the restaurant.

"It is not only disrespectful to the orang utan that is a great ape but it also implies it is cute and appropriate to have them as pets," wrote one LeAnn Fox.

The orang utan, she said, was under serious threat of extinction and "unnecessary signage like this does nothing to help them".

Someone named Robert Hii wrote: "Did you all think it's right to use Sabah's iconic wild animal, the Borneo orang utan, like this? Please rethink your messaging."

However, there were also those who felt that there was nothing wrong with the picture as "they were just edited, not real."

They also pointed out that even animals in zoos would perform for visitors, thus making that an even bigger form of exploitation.

Photographs and drawings of animals had been used as mascots, especially in sports events such as the Commonwealth Games, they said.