It’s not only that our children and we spend too much time staring at our phone screens – even the gorillas are, according to the Toronto Zoo. And whose fault is it? Well, certainly not the apes’. The zoo has started urging visitors to stop showing videos and photos on their smartphones to its gorillas, as it makes them upset and messes with their everyday life.
Behavioral husbandry supervisor Hollie Ross told CP24 that they “just want the gorillas to be able to be gorillas.” She added that, when the visitors come to the zoo, the team wants them “to be able to see gorillas in a very natural state, and what they would be doing naturally – to sort of connect with them on that level.” And guess what – no way can a gorilla be in its natural state with a phone shoved to its face!
Ross explained that one of the gorillas, Nassir, is especially smitten with the visitors’ videos. The zoo’s website describes Nassir, born in September 2009, as ” the epitome of a teenager, fascinated by videos and screen time would dominate his life if he had his way.” Doesn’t this sound disturbing? This is similar to an example from the Chicago Zoo where they had to put up a rope because one of the gorillas got too engrossed in the visitors’ phones! They say that they even noticed behavioral changes in apes.
The zoo’s request to the visitors
Now, interestingly enough, the Toronto Zoo isn’t entirely against gorillas watching videos. They’re cool with it as long as they control what they’re watching. They compare it to managing a kid’s social media account. You need to have your parental controls set up, right? They want to avoid the gorillas getting upset by something they see or start behaving strangely.
Meanwhile, the zoo is kindly requesting the visitors to keep their screens to themselves. They’ve put up signs reading, “For the wellbeing of gorillas, please refrain from showing them any videos or photos as some content can be disturbing and affect their relationships and behaviour within their family.”
So, folks, when you’re at the zoo, let the gorillas be gorillas. Enjoy watching them play and be adorable, fun, and fascinating as they are. Just like you wouldn’t want someone shoving a phone in your face while you’re trying to chill out, it seems these gorillas feel the same way.
[via The Times]
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