Kids aren’t the only ones who need limited screen time – gorillas do, too.
That’s according to a memo by a zoo in Toronto that is worried about the well-being of its animals.
A sign posted outside of the Toronto Zoo’s gorilla enclosure asks guests to “refrain from showing them any videos or photos, as some content can be upsetting and affect their relationships and behaviour within their family,” according to CTV News.
A behavioral supervisor at the zoo said it’s a best practice both for the gorillas and the zoo guests.
“We just want the gorillas to be able to be gorillas,” Hollie Ross told CTV News. “And when our guests come to the zoo, we want 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.”
“We just want to make sure that we know the content,” Ross added. “Very much like managing an account for a child or something, you want to make sure that your parental controls are on, and that you’re in control of what the content is that they’re seeing.”
According to the zoo’s website, the gorillas do watch nature documentaries “with great interest” on occasion. Earlier this year, the zoo installed a donated flatscreen TV for one gorilla who was recovering from an illness.
Another gorilla, named Nassir, is “the epitome of a teenager, fascinated by videos,” according to the website. The zoo’s site said if the 13-year-old gorilla had his way, “screen time would dominate his life.”
“We don’t really want our guests coming and showing them videos. We would rather have them see them do gorilla things,” Ross told CTV. “Nassir, in particular, was really interested in seeing different videos. I think, mostly, he was seeing videos of other animals. But, I think what is really important is that he’s able to just hang out with his brother and be a gorilla.”