Showing cell phone videos to gorillas could lead them to fight and bully each other, says a primate expert.
The intelligent creatures could start competing with each other for spots where they can watch videos shown by humans through glass enclosures, the conservationist told MailOnline.
It comes after a Toronto zoo begged visitors to stop showing their phones to gorillas as it “upsets” them and “affects their relationships.”
Zoo keepers pleaded with the public not to show any videos or photos because some content could be upsetting and affect their well-being.
Ian Redmond OBE, tropical field biologist and conservationist, explained that showing videos of the gorillas on phones ‘may cause tension in the group and the zoo wants to keep the peace’.
Redmond said: ‘Smartphones are attractive and given a captive monkey’s life in social and sensory deprivation, it will appeal to them’
The zoo’s decision came after videos went viral of gorillas being captivated by cell phones from their enclosures.
In response, the Toronto Zoo’s sign reads, “For the good of the gorilla troop, please do not show them any videos or photos as some content may be shocking and affect their relationships and behavior within their families.”
MailOnline spoke to Ian Redmond OBE, tropical field biologist and conservationist, to find out why this may be the case.
He explained that showing videos of the gorillas on phones “may cause tension in the group and the zoo wants to keep the peace.”
He said, “The phone introduces environmental enrichment into their housing.
“If you have to keep animals in captivity, you can’t just have environmental enrichment because it will cause strife, fighting and social disruption. This is the N+1 rule.’
‘N’ represents the animal, and ‘one’ represents the enrichment, so there should be one enrichment option for each animal in the enclosure.
He continued, “This is also evident in human prisons. Zoos will need more than one enrichment when the phones are introduced.
He explained that showing videos of the gorillas on phones “may cause tension in the group and the zoo wants to keep the peace.”
Redmond is known for his work with gorillas and has been involved in over 50 documentaries on the subject for the BBC, National Geographic and Discovery Channel
“Any individual who could be interested in the device would need a chance to do so without being bullied by others.
“Smartphones are attractive and given a monkey’s life in captivity in social and sensory deprivation it will be attractive to them.
“If you’re stuck in the same room, it’ll be interesting to see photos of new faces.”
Redmond is known for his work with gorillas and has been involved in over 50 documentaries on the subject for the BBC, National Geographic and Discovery Channel.
He thinks the zoo is banning this interaction in the short term “to prevent competition between the gorillas over who gets the desired spot to look at the phone.”
However, he believes that “there has to be a better way to deal with it in the long run, because it’s a shame to take that positive communication away from them.”
“It’s an example of gorillas’ cognitive abilities, which is fascinating when you watch their reactions to the phones,” Redmond continues.
“It’s very clearly about communication between beings and that’s why it’s gone viral – it’s obviously fascinating that they have that understanding.
“The gorilla made as much eye contact with the person as it did with the phone. The communication was revealing because it’s something the public may not have seen before.”
A primate expert has revealed that showing gorillas cell phone videos can lead them to fight and bully each other
Redmond believes the zoo is banning this interaction in the short term “to prevent competition between the gorillas over who gets the desired spot to look at the phone.”
He also believes that once the public sees how intelligent gorillas are and how good their communication is, they may begin to think they don’t belong in zoos:
“From these viral videos, the public has the opportunity to see the communication between these two beings.
“When they see how intelligent they are, they begin to realize: shouldn’t they be in a quiet retreat without people banging on the glass?
“The public is beginning to question its ethics. My personal opinion is that animals like gorillas have a job to do in the forest, it performs better for the species present there.
“By keeping them in zoos, we don’t respect the order of the ecosystem.”
However, he adds that “stimulating the phone and the person for the gorilla individually is something positive and fascinating.”
He also believes that once the public sees how intelligent gorillas are and how good their communication is, they may begin to think they don’t belong in zoos.
In a video shot at the Louisville Zoo, we see it Jelani the gorilla watching a guy swipe through photos on his phone.
We see him sitting next to the case glass, fascinated by the device as he watches the guest swipe through photos and ask, “Do you like that one?”
Maria Franke, director of conservation and welfare at the Toronto Zoo, shared this The Toronto star that one of their gorillas, named Nassir, is “distracted and not interacting with the other gorillas.” He was so fascinated with gadgets and phones and the videos.’
Another Chicago zoo was forced to hang a rope a few feet from the glass partition of the gorilla enclosure to prevent people from showing the animals their phones.
Toronto Zoo has been approached for comment.