Chimpanzee hand writing
The inclusion of chimpanzees in media isn't only potentially problematic for conservation efforts - it could lead to injury and death in humans. And these are not obscure appearances by any means: this includes ads shown during the Super Bowl, for example.
#Chimpanzee hand writing tv#
According to one organization, there are 70 chimpanzees in use by the entertainment industry, and in the last five years, they were featured in 35 commercials, 15 TV episodes, and 7 movies - all portrayed in human-like situations. After all, general perception of exotic species is dependent on what people see on TV, in museums, and in zoos and aquariums. On the other hand, according to the distortion hypothesis, the appearance of trained chimps in commercials and TV might lead the general public to believe that chimpanzees are not endangered, and could make for good pets. And they're at least partially right: people tend to donate more to help conservation when the species that form the focus of the fundraising campaigns are more familiar. They argue that the more people see chimps on TV and in movies, the more likely they will be to aid in conservation efforts - even if the chimpanzees are depicted in totally unnatural, contrived situations. Proponents of using chimpanzees as "actors" in mass media argue that familiarity breeds compassion. But not everyone seems to agree - they would argue that it is chimpanzees' appearance in mainstream media that has actually allowed for the increased public awareness of the existence of chimpanzees. The question of chimpanzee use for biomedical research is fraught, but the irresponsibility of using chimpanzees in movies and commercials seems fairly straightforward. It should be somewhat surprising, then, that its actually legal for individuals or businesses in the United States to purchase and own chimpanzees as pets, for use in entertainment, and for biomedical research.
Indeed, all African countries in which chimpanzees reside have laws against their capture and trade as food or as pets. The IUCN's most recent estimate (in 2003) for the global population of wild chimpanzees is only 172,700 to 299,700 individuals. But that people are familiar with chimpanzees in the first place is actually somewhat remarkable, given how rare these primates truly are. Lots of people mistake bonobos for chimpanzees, despite the fact that they're really two different species.