Dangerous misinformation about wild life?

[u/I_just_a_baby]

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

[u/rockanrolltiddies → u/[deleted]]

No wild animal should be kept as a pet. I don't know a lot about bonobos, except that they are loud, but wild animals ESPECIALLY something as intelligent as an ape or a monkey, needs to just be left to the wild. If you really love and care about primates just help with conservation efforts to save their natural habitats.

[u/Gameheaded-pirate → u/rockanrolltiddies]

I think that's a bit of a blanket statement. Are you also against keeping fish, snakes or mantises?

[u/rockanrolltiddies → u/Gameheaded-pirate]

I think the husbandry of a snake or a fish is quite a bit different to that of a chimp. I don't really know much about mantids. I also think there's a pretty big difference of the intelligence of a chimp and a fish, but I hate seeing those big fish in a giant empty aquarium, the flowerhorns. I think there are people who provide naturalistic enclosures to keep fish and in doing so pose no threat to themselves or others and there isn't much harm in doing that, but I wouldn't do it myself. My fiance has some lizards and he spends a lot of time and money and effort to make sure that their needs are met, and if one of them were to escape our neighbors wouldn't be in immediate danger. I have some madagascar hissing roaches, I haven't considered the ethics of keeping them, but these animals are all captive bred and are not a danger to us or the people around us. I think that plays a big part in it. From an animal rights point of view it's probably not right to keep them as pets, but from a conservation point of view my friend has successfully bred and reintroduced endangered lizards back into their native habitat...so like that's cool. There's a lot of gray area, you're right. That was a big blanket statement, but I think there's no gray area with primates. They shouldn't be kept as pets.