I'm sure by now you've been scrolling through social media and seen posts of gorillas interacting with humans via a picture or video on their smart phone. The humans put the screen to the glass in the gorilla enclosure, and the animals seem to be quite invested in “show.”
But it's not all fun and games, as zoos are urging visitors not to show their smartphones to the animals, who often become so riveted it begins to change their behavior as they seek out more and more screen time from the humans they encounter.
"For the wellbeing of gorilla troop," warned one sign, "please refrain from showing them any videos or photos as some content can be upsetting and affect their relationships and behavior within their family."
Unfortunately, these warnings are doing little to stop humans from the behavior. For example, self-described "gorilla groupies" come to the San Diego Zoo on a near-daily basis to not only film the animals, but show them videos as well.
I get that people want that sort of connection. But the reality is: What does it do for the gorilla?
unknownx500
