Defender Radio: The Podcast For Wildlife Advocates And Animal Lovers

Any time spent watching chimpanzees is valuable; they show tool use, complex social structures and behaviours, and, according to the latest science, are often quite adorable. It’s no surprise that humans are fascinated by chimpanzees, as we share 98.8 percent of our DNA with them. But how humans treat chimpanzees isn’t always positive. Chimps are still poached for meat and are kept as pets or entertainment. On social media, chimps are dressed up, paraded about, and earn significant revenue for their owners and social media platforms. Tragically, these platforms have little in place to protect potentially exploited animals, and that’s something Dr. Jake Brooker wants to see change. A research associate at Durham University, working at Chimfunshi Wildlife Orphanage Trust, Dr. Brooker is studying the behaviour of rescued chimpanzees who were taken from the pet and bushmeat trades. In a recent article on TheConversation.com, Dr. Brooker outlined the realities chimps face as a result of social media and the ongoin