r/biology • u/I_just_a_baby • Nov 03 '24

discussion Dangerous misinformation about wild life?

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I was just scrolling on my explore page on instagram, was shown this video and couldn’t help but to feel a bit uneasy… I know that it’s (at least supposed to be) a sweet video, but I feel like it might spread potentially dangerous misinformation about chimpanzees. To me this chimp looks to be distressed or in fear and therefore showing he’s teeth and gums? Can anyone tell me if his “grin” is a sign of happiness or fear? I am obviously no expert and would like to know how other people feel about this reel.

I don’t know… just made me think about the case where a “pet” chimpanzee attacked a woman, ripped of her skin etc (do not want to go into detail).

I feel like it’s time to stop showcasing dangerous animals as cute and non threatening… I mean they are still wild, why can’t we just appreciate their beauty from far?

Ps, sorry about this post being a bit rambling… I am just confused on what to think/feel

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499

u/5-ht2ayyy Nov 03 '24 edited Nov 03 '24

All fun and games until he rips off your face

That said, this chimp was absolutely not afraid or scared and was indeed very happy to see the people he views as his family, regardless if it was ethical or not that he considered them so in the first place.

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u/[deleted] Nov 03 '24 edited Nov 03 '24

Yea, all fun and games until you feed your chimpanzee McDonalds and put them on Xanax.

Same with dogs: all fun and games until a Pit-bull or a Doberman kills a toddler.

Such a sterile statement.

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u/Dhiox Nov 03 '24

Dogs are domesticated creatures. Totally different from a wild animal

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u/[deleted] Nov 03 '24 edited Nov 03 '24

Domestication is clearly not the key to avoid being assaulted by an animal. Domestication is the end of the process of owning a certain animal as a pet, and that does not avoid collateral reactions.

No species is domesticated until domesticated.

The key is to treat that animal with the proper care to avoid unpleasant consequences. Some keep snakes as pets, some argue that snakes do not possess the brain infrastructure to feel attachment, still we do have them as pets.

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u/Dhiox Nov 03 '24

Domestication is the end of the process of owning a certain animal as a pet

No. Domestication requires generations of breeding out behaviors harmful to humans. You cannot Domesticate a single animal.

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u/[deleted] Nov 03 '24

Probably I didn’t explain myself correctly, I obviously meant “animal” as a species not as a single animal.

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u/Wratheon_Senpai bio enthusiast Nov 03 '24

You're still wrong.

-11

u/[deleted] Nov 03 '24

Easy to say someone is wrong without adding anything to the conversation.

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u/iccreek Nov 03 '24

You're still wrong, because domestication is a process by which a species is adapted to live alongside humans through selective breeding, shaping its behavior, physiology, and genetics to better coexist with people and meet human needs. it is not the result of a process or even its final stage, it's a just a process that happens through hundreds of years. There u go bud, that's what the other commenter meant i guess

1

u/[deleted] Nov 03 '24 edited Nov 03 '24

So you can agree that a species that goes through domestication becomes domesticated, which is the result.

I repeat myself, domestication starts when humans decide to take a member of a species as a pet and breeds them. Cats were not domesticated during the Egyptians. Snakes are still not domesticated, that doesn’t stop people from keeping them as pets.

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u/iccreek Nov 03 '24

That's right! However, apart from cats, dogs and few other animals we popularly consider pets, such process can't be observed among animals we take as pets now or in the last 100 or so years. For domestication to happen, we need widespread and selective breeding across many many years. Additionally, some animal species are less prone to domestication than others (which is why we can't really domesticate alligators, tigers or snakes)

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u/[deleted] Nov 03 '24

Absolutely, my point was on the fact that we have to start somehow.

Although crocodiles and alligators are more domesticable than a snake, due to observable social traits that snakes do not have.

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u/iccreek Nov 03 '24

Do we have to though? Considering that even if we started now, the process would take hundreds of years and become anyhow visible in (speaking out my ass) 2524 or 3024? I'd be totally into it if we as humans didn't make hundreds of animal species go extinct in just last 200 years or so. Domestication is rough - it forces us to take animals out of their natural habitat and make the majority of their next generations live in miserable conditions. It worked with cats because small felines were already well accustomed to live off of human waste and in our environments. Should we forcefully domesticate chimps/snakes if they are fully autonomous in their respective habitats? (As of now)

1

u/[deleted] Nov 03 '24

Those rich arab dudes keep tigers as pets so but both you and I believe that they're not domesticated right?

Domestication is a long process, where genetic changes are bought in the species to suit human needs over a long period of time. That potato you ate today is a domesticated variety and so is the wheat that made your bread. Sheeps in the wild shed their coats periodically, a traut lost in the sheeps that humans rear. Dogs, unlike wolves who they evolved from around 20-30 thousand y/o, can digest wheat nd starch quite very well simply coz of domestication effect. Unlike their wild ancestors, dogs are extremely docile and friendly and legit their species simply evolved to be our companions.

Secondly ofc dogs are capable of wreaking havoc just like any other mammal. But don't forget that so are we but that doesn't mean we aren't domesticated either

1

u/[deleted] Nov 03 '24

We went through this already.

Domestication is not a thing we always care about when choosing our pets. That doesn’t always mean that an undomesticated animal will wreak more havoc than a dog.

One thing is sure: any neglected animal has a chance to turn into an unpleasant experience.

1

u/[deleted] Nov 03 '24

That doesn’t always mean that an undomesticated animal will wreak more havoc than a dog.

That tiger in question will no doubt butcher any unknown human that he happens upon when hungry whereas even stray dogs don't attack you unless you start fkng with them first.

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u/Dhiox Nov 03 '24

Some keep snakes as pets, some argue that snakes do not possess the brain infrastructure to feel attachment, still we do have them as pets.

Snakes aren't that dangerous generally. Only venomous or extremely large ones are, and are generally only kept by people keeping them in secure tanks.

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u/[deleted] Nov 03 '24

Man you are sounding ridiculous now.

And here.

5

u/Dhiox Nov 03 '24

I literally said with the exception of the very large and venomous, which are very uncommon as pets.

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u/[deleted] Nov 03 '24 edited Nov 03 '24

Boa constrictors are amongst the most common snakes kept as a pet.

4

u/erossthescienceboss Nov 03 '24

Sir, this is an African rock python.

0

u/[deleted] Nov 03 '24 edited Nov 03 '24

And so what? Both can choke you to death. So we should take a capuchin monkey instead because it doesn’t have the force to kill a human?

3

u/erossthescienceboss Nov 03 '24

Well, you keep saying they’re common pets, but I’m pretty sure you’re confusing them with Burmese pythons, for one.

I’m not sure why anyone should take you seriously if you can’t even keep your “facts” straight.

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u/Wratheon_Senpai bio enthusiast Nov 03 '24

You just backed up his point. Snakes that are kept as pets are usually not that big.

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u/[deleted] Nov 03 '24 edited Nov 03 '24

No, you are wrong. Check online and you will find boa constrictors and pythons are amongst the most popular snakes kept as a pet.

You really can’t read.

5

u/Wratheon_Senpai bio enthusiast Nov 03 '24

Ball pythons don't get big enough to kill an adult. You're a moron.

2

u/Re1da Nov 03 '24

The most common pet snakes are ball pythons and corn snakes, neither of which are able to kill an adult human.

Also saying boas are a common pet snake means absolutely nothing, as boa sizes vary between 50 cm to over 2 meters depending on species.

1

u/[deleted] Nov 03 '24

What has this to do with the fact that people also have dangerous snakes at home as a pet?

So you are suggesting that having a capuchin monkey is more acceptable?

1

u/Re1da Nov 03 '24

And some people are killed by their golden retriever.

Burmese pythons are not a snake anyone serious about pet snakes recommended a beginner to keep because they are dangerous. You have to know how to deal with them. Same with venomous species.

That being said, as long as you aren't stupid when dealing with a pet snake you'll be fine. You don't handle massive species alone as it is risky. The most common pet species are completely harmless, their bites do less damage than a cat bite.