40 years ago livef in Austraia:. The aninal welfare organisations then, wanten een end to cuddeling of wildlife by tourists but 40 years on is s trill a top attraction

 

When you’re on holiday, it may be tempting to stop for a moment and take a quick snap with an animal that you found incredibly cute. But that little moment could cost them a lifetime of suffering.

You may not be aware of this but thousands of animals are being torn from the wild just so tourists can take selfies with them to post on social media.

Most tourists who take selfies with wildlife are usually animal lovers who want to interact with animals but have no clue about the cruelty that goes on behind the scenes.

So, during a once-in-a-lifetime trip, it’s understandable that they would want to take a snap with an elephant, an orangutan, or a dolphin for Instagram. But if they knew about the suffering these animals endure for the sake of a photo opportunity, they would surely put their phones and cameras away.

Taking a sloth selfie for ‘likes’ is endangering their lives

Sloths are quiet, docile, and more fragile than people think. Today, these iconic mammals of the Amazonian rainforest are being cruelly exploited for wildlife selfies with close or direct encounters in various tourist venues.

Baby sloths are ripped from their mothers to cater to the growing demand for sloth selfies. Since the mother sloths are fiercely protective, they are often killed in the process. Soon after, they are passed from the arms of one stranger to another at tourist venues, which most likely causes them severe stress, fear, and anxiety, and negatively impacts their mental well-being.

Most visitors are unaware of the pain sloths must endure daily since their faces may appear to be smiling, no matter what environment they are in. This is simply a result of their facial structure and gives absolutely no indication whatsoever of the emotions they are feeling.

It is extremely likely that poor handling, combined with poor nutrition and housing, all in the name of selfies, is a death sentence for the sloths trapped in the wildlife tourism industry.

Together, we can end wild animal exploitation for commercial gain and transform the travel and tourism industry to protect wild animals everywhere. And with your support, sloths can have a life in the wild, where they can thrive.