The Hidden Welfare Costs of Viral Animal Fame
Moo-Deng, the viral pygmy hippo, from Thailand (Photo: Khao Kheow Open Zoo)
Once in a while a cute animal comes along that goes super viral online. Famous faces like Cincinnati Zoo’s, Fiona the hippo, become an overnight sensation with hundreds of millions of viewers invested in their story. More recently we’ve seen Moo Deng, another young hippo, and Pesto, the largest penguin chick the world has ever seen, go viral across the globe. While it’s heartwarming to see such enthusiasm for the animal kingdom, it’s crucial to consider the potential impact on the welfare of these individuals.
The Hidden Dark Side of Viral Animal Fame
The allure of viral content can lead to unintended consequences for these animals. With guests flocking daily to get their fix of Moo Deng in Thailand, there have been reports of visitors throwing items into her enclosure in an attempt to wake her up or get her attention. Rest and sleep are crucially important for a young pygmy hippo, so disturbances like this would be considerably stressful. Furthermore, additional pressure can be placed on care staff attempting to manage the situation whilst continuing to do their job of looking after the animals under their charge.
KKO Zoo staff creating animal enrichment
In the past, Wild Welfare have worked with Khao Khew Open Zoo, where Moo Deng lives, to assist in developing enrichment programmes for their animals. The staff have enthusiastically taken this information on board and we now regularly see updates from their team about great enrichment successes. From cobras to capuchins (and not forgetting their hippos), the animals at the zoo are given opportunities to explore, forage, problem solve and interact with a range of enrichment devices. Encouraging these natural behaviours is a vital component of good animal welfare within a captive environment.
The Role of Social Media
Social media algorithms play a significant role in shaping the content we see online. When we engage with content related to animal celebrities, such as sharing posts or following trending hashtags, the social algorithms will continue to show us more of that kind of content. Some of this content can include irresponsible and non welfare friendly images where the wellbeing of the animals depicted is being jeopardised for the sake of likes and shares. Exposure to this form of content can lead to a normalisation of harmful practices, as we are exposed to increasingly extreme or exploitative content without realising it.
The Importance of Individuality and Sentience
It’s essential to always remember that animals are individuals with their own unique needs and emotions. They are not mere objects for our entertainment. By treating them with respect and compassion, we can ensure that their welfare is always a top priority. We do not wish to discourage a passion for wildlife, but believe that human actions should be guided by compassion and a genuine consideration for the animals’ well-being. A compassionate approach should not be solely self-centred, but prioritise the needs and desires of the individual animal. Something that may be easily forgotten in our world of fast media and endless streams of content.
Taking Action
It may seem harmless to like and share every cute looking animal video or photo that we encounter online. By following these three simple steps, we can all play our part in helping to protect the welfare of these animals:
- Be mindful of the content you share online: Avoid sharing posts that may involve the exploitation or harm of animals.
- Report harmful content: If you come across content that depicts animal abuse or exploitation, report it both on the social media platform and to AfA’s SMACC website (see below for more info about this).
- Educate others: Spread awareness about the importance of animal welfare and the potential negative consequences of sharing animal cruelty content on social media. See our previous blog about why “Sharing isn’t always caring”.
AfA SMACC (Animals for Asia Social Media Animal Cruelty Coalition) is a group formed to address the issue of animal cruelty content on social media platforms. They collect data on animal cruelty content to produce reports that expose inappropriate animal content. SMACC collaborates with organisations and social media platforms to create a united front against animal cruelty, engaging with websites to improve their policies and combat cruelty content. SMACC has also developed an online reporting tool to allow individuals to flag animal cruelty content they encounter online. This tool provides a simple and effective way for concerned users to contribute towards removing such content in a responsible and effective manner.
After the Limelight
Pesto the world’s largest penguin chick goes viral (Photo: Sea Life Melbourne Aquarium)
Online trends are having a shorter and shorter shelf lifespans, as the pace of our ever changing online fads increase with time. This raises another important and relevant question; what happens to these individual animals once they lose their limelight? Hopefully they continue to be cared for by dedicated staff who are well-versed in animal welfare concepts and their application to husbandry practices. However, sometimes when worth is no longer attached to an individual, they may be left to linger in less than ideal circumstances.
Ultimately, welfare matters to each and every animal, no matter their celebrity status, species or story. Appropriate Animal-Visitor interactions potentially have the power to educate and inspire, helping people to create a positive connection with animals, however, their welfare should never be compromised. To learn more about this topic, read our joint study with World Animal Protection and the School of Science and Environment at Manchester Metropolitan University entitled ‘A Global Review of Animal–Visitor Interactions in Modern Zoos and Aquariums and Their Implications for Wild Animal Welfare’, here.
The views, opinions and positions expressed by guest bloggers are theirs alone, and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Wild Welfare or any employee thereof. Wild Welfare is not responsible for the accuracy of any of the information supplied by the guest bloggers. We accept no liability for any errors, omissions or representations. The copyright of this content (including images) belongs to the author and any liability with regard to infringement of intellectual property rights remains with them.
