Un simple selfie with a monkey can have harmful consequences. This is, in any case, the conviction of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), which now urges scientists to no longer post photos of them in the company of primates on social networks, explains The Guardian. These images could indeed stimulate the illegal trade in monkeys by encouraging the public to take pictures of themselves with these protected animals.
To reach this conclusion, the IUCN relies on studies carried out from 1950 to 1970. According to this work, the use of monkeys in advertisements can bias the perception of the state of conservation of primates. Siân Waters, a specialist in macaques at the IUCN, assures the Guardian that social media posts are doing the same thing in our time. A consequence that the association naturally wishes to avoid. The IUCN estimates that two-thirds of the 514 primate species it assesses are threatened with extinction.
Other animals are concerned
Last year, famous primatologist Jane Goodall paved the way for the recommendations of the protection association. The scientist had reacted to the publication, which went viral, of a photo of a chimpanzee consulting a cell phone. She had advised against sharing this kind of content. As a result, her institute had decided to no longer broadcast images of her in the company of primates.
Monkeys, lemurs and other orangutans aren’t the only ones feeling the impact of social media posts, notes The Guardian. The newspaper cites the example of Costa Rica, where selfies with wild animals have been banned to protect sloths. Already threatened by deforestation, these vulnerable animals had been illegally used as “accessories” to attract tourists.
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